The 2M container shipping giants, Danish Maersk Line and Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) have signed a cooperation agreement with Israel’s Haifa port.
The ships of the combined fleet are to call at Haifa once a week on their way from China, South Korea, and Singapore to the Adriatic sea, local media report.
Under the deal, the port will welcome the first mega ship of the combined fleet, the Maersk Gustav, on October 15th.
The ship features 373 meters in length and 116,100 tonnes in summer DWT, representing the biggest boxship to ever dock at the port.
According to Mendi Zaltzman, CEO of Haifa Port, the port is ready to meet this great challenge and welcomes the opportunity to do just that.
The announcement follows an all-time productivity record of 318.8 containers per ship hour at the port, recorded by the Carmel Terminal’s six STS cranes.
Both Maersk and MSC confirmed the addition of Haifa to their East-West Network, together with Prince Rupert, Canada and Asyaport, Turkey.
The first sailing out of Asia on the network is scheduled for mid-September.
Copyright Ships & Ports Ltd. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit given to www.shipsandports.com.ng as the source.