31.03.2013 - Bremerhaven. Bremerhaven welcomes the “CMA CGM Alexander von Humboldt”.

The largest container vessels in the world regularly call at port in Bremerhaven. The world’s largest container ship, the “CMA CGM Marco Polo” with 16,020 TEUs loading capacity, regularly put into harbour at Bremerhaven on the FAL1 service. Now, it won’t be alone. Its sister ship, the “CMA CGM Alexander von Humboldt”, berthed at Container Terminal Bremerhaven at 3 p.m. today. Owned by a France-based shipping company, it is the second ship in this size class and will likewise regularly call at port in Bremerhaven as part of the FAL1 service. The “CMA CGM Alexander von Humboldt” will load and unload a total of 4,958 TEUs – five gantry cranes will be in operation at the same time at the terminal to achieve this. The mega ship is anticipated to embark from Bremerhaven tomorrow, Saturday, 1 June 2013, at 6 p.m. with a draught of 11.50 metres. The third container ship in the 16,000 TEU class, the “CMA CGM Jules Verne”, has been sailing its maiden voyage from South Korea since 3 May 2013 and is expected to arrive in Bremerhaven for the first time on

14 June 2013.

“We are amazed and proud that the three world’s largest container ships will regularly be calling at the container terminal in Bremerhaven”, says Jörg Colberg, Managing Director at MSC Gate Bremerhaven. “The Outer Weser does not have a long approach channel, and Bremerhaven has two turning basins for mega container ships to make manoeuvring easier. Our container handling facilities are state-of-the-art and perfect for serving container ships of this size quickly and efficiently. Our customers know this. The fact that the 16,000 TEU container ships will be regularly calling at Bremerhaven is a reminder that the deepening of the navigation channel absolutely has to follow. Should this not be made, it would be a bitter setback for Bremerhaven.”