The UK’s Largest Container Delivery
With the recent purchase of ‘Ultra-Large’ container ships by several of the world’s leading shipping lines, we have now seen the largest container ship ever to be docked in the United Kingdom carrying 20,170 TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units) visiting the port of Southampton.
This vessel, belonging to the Japanese shipping line Mitsui O.S.K. Line (MOL) is the most recent addition to their fleet after being commissioned in late 2015. MOL Triumph now in service, is now the third largest container shipping vessel in the world.
The vessels’ inaugural voyage saw the arrival of a number of new GVCT containers into the UK.
The introduction of these ‘Ultra-Large’ vessels, with dramatically increased TEU capacity is the current trend for many of the world’s largest container shipping lines. In the longer term, it remains uncertain as to whether increased capacity will ultimately lead to a decrease in freight rates. As seen in the aviation industry, where the recent trend has been to transition from larger aircraft to a more economic, smaller fleet running a higher frequency timetable.
Please see the below BBC article for more information, including a short video of the ship moving through Southampton Water and docking to be unloaded.