Maersk Line’s Triple E container vessel giant Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller departed from the port of Algeciras, Spain, yesterday with a load of 18, 168 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), setting a new world record. The previous record holder was another Maersk’s Triple E, Mary Maersk, which departed with a load of 17, 603 TEUs from the same port back in August last year.
Maersk Mc-Kinney is transporting the record-breaking cargo to Tanjung Pelepas in Malaysia.
Image: J. Koun
Back in 2013 when it became operational, the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller, the first in a total of 20 Triple E class container vessels to be constructed by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), had the largest load capacity regarding TEU of any ship, and held the title of being the longest operating vessel in the world. Having a cargo capacity of 18,270 TEU containers, the vessel departed from the Spanish port with just 102 empty slots.
“I can’t begin to explain how proud and humbled I am to have the privilege of being the Captain of the iconic Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller, and to be the very first vessel that has crossed the 18, 000 TEU limit. All of the crew members have shared their excitement with cameras, questions, and last but definitely not least a lot of planning and calculations,” commented Captain Niels Vestergaard Pedersen.