World's largest container ship on maiden voyage
- By Chen Xia
0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail China.org.cn, August 15, 2018
The COSCO Libera, the world's largest container ship owned by China Ocean Shipping Company (COSCO), has left the Port of Singapore for Europe on Aug. 6 on its maiden voyage.
The ship measures up at 400 meters long and 58.6 meters wide with a maximum draft of 16 meters. It has a maximum sailing speed of up to 22.5 nautical miles per hour.
The ship can carry 20,119 standard containers with a maximum weight of 200,000 tonnes.
Despite the giant volume, "the COSCO Libera's carbon emissions are only 7.045 grams per tonne-nautical mile, much lower than the target set by Europe for 2030," the ship's captain Gu Mingzhang said.
Approximately 90 percent of the ship's components were made domestically, showcasing China's ship building capacity.
During its maiden voyage, the COSCO Libera is carrying 16,586 standard containers of goods sold to European countries. The goods include light industrial products, such as garments, shoes and hats, as well as food, including frozen chicken and fish.
The ship launched its maiden voyage on July 20 from the Port of Tianjin in China.
After stopping at the Port of Singapore, it will sail through the Strait of Malacca and the Suez Canal, and reach the Port of Piraeus in Greece, the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands, the Port of Hamburg in Germany, the Port of Antwerp in Belgium, and the Port of Rotterdam once again before heading home. All these ports are important links on the sea route of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative.
Sea transportation is essential to international trade. According to the Analysis and Prospects of China's Sea Transportation Industry 2018-2025 published by China Industry Research, over two thirds of international trade and about 90 percent of China's imports and exports is transported by sea.
In the report delivered by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, at 19th CPC National Congress, it was emphasized that efforts would be stepped up to "build China into a strong maritime country."
Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)