SIMIC

CHINESE shipbuilder Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding has handed over a 24,116 TEU ultra-large containership to China's Bank of Communications Financial Leasing to join MSC's fleet, reports London's Port Technology.
The MSC Celestino Maresca is the second of its kind and the fifth 24,000 TEU-class ship to be delivered in the past nine months.
Just a few weeks ago, Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding delivered the 24,116 TEU MSC Tessa, the world's largest containership.
The delivery takes place as part of a four-vessel deal with MSC, worth around US$600 million.
The MSC Celestino Maresca measures 399.99 metres long and presents a width of 61.5 metres, providing a deck area equivalent to four standard football fields.
The vessel can transport over 240,000 tonnes of cargo and load 24,116 TEU. Its high-efficiency propellers and energy-saving devices can reportedly reduce fuel consumption and emissions by approximately 3 to 4 per cent.
The Chinese shipbuilder utilized advanced automated systems, such as a comprehensive bridge, and state-of-the-art fire extinguishing technology in the design of the MSC Celestino Maresca.
The vessel will start operating on March 30 and follow the Lion route, sailing from China to Portugal, the Netherlands, Belgium, the UK, and Morocco before returning to Singapore and China.
The new ship is one of 14 such vessels that MSC has under construction. The carrier will operate nearly half of the 89 large mainline container ships set to be added to the fleets of the world's top 11 ocean carriers in 2023, according to Alphaliner.