MSC Michel Cappellini, the world’s largest container ship, was christened in the German port city of Bremerhaven on July 17, a day after arriving from its maiden voyage that began in Ningbo, China in late May, the port said in a press statement.
The christening of the newbuilding at the Strom quay in Bremerhaven was led by top executives of Zurich-headquartered Mediterranean Shipping Company, the world’s biggest commercial shipping operator, state and city officials, as well as port and business executives.
The 24,346 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) newbuilding departed Ningbo, China, on May 30 for its maiden voyage on the MSC-operated AE6/Lion Asia-North Europe loop.
The container ship measures 400 meters long and 62 meters wide, according to details of the vessel shared by MSC in a sneak preview video on LinkedIn on July 16.
MSC Michel Cappellini, built in 2023 by China’s Yangzijiang Shipbuilding, is considered the crown jewel of MSC’s brand-new Celestino Maresca class of vessels, which has surpassed the Gülsün class to become the next innovative category of ultra-large container ships.
The Liberia-flagged containership has been classed and given route specific container stowage class notation by DNV. The sea giant is International Maritime Organization TIER III compliant, which means its engines meet or exceed the stringent nitrogen oxide emission limits set by the International Maritime Organization by employing technologies to reduce emissions significantly and promote cleaner maritime operations in designated emission control areas.
MSC said a total of 14 vessels will join its new Celestino Maresca-class fleet, noting these are not only the “largest vessels” by total capacity of any shipping line but also the most fuel-efficient container ships by design.
MSC had a total fleet size of 760 ships that carried 22.5 million TEUs annually, according to estimates in 2022. It was also estimated that in May 2023, it had breached the 5 million-TEU total capacity.
In addition to the baptism ceremony, MSC, Bremen State Council and port officials signed a memorandum of understanding in which the Swiss shipping operator will require its ships to use offshore electricity while in the harbor to prevent carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
The agreement was signed by Soren Toft, MSC chief executive; Kai Stührenberg, state councilor with the Senator for Economy, Ports and Transformation; and Bremenports’ Howe.
The featured artistic performances, speeches, as well as the ceremonial ribbon cutting and champagne bottle breaking, according to the MSC’s LinkedIn account.
“This is a great honor and at the same time a great acknowledgement from MSC to our ports,” Bremenports chief executive Robert Howe said at the ceremony, according to a statement by the Ports of Bremen and Bremerhaven, the authority that manages the twin ports on Germany’s North Sea coast.
The signatories to the MOU agreed to work on the use of offshore power for MSC container ships docking at the port of Bremerhaven. They also agreed that the electricity to be provided will come from renewable energy sources.
“This is a first step towards emission-free shipping and decarbonization of MSC companies’ business,” according to the Ports of Bremen and Bremerhaven press statement.