Bahia Negra Completes Newbuilding Series

The Bahia Negra, the last of a total of six identical 3,752 TEU Hamburg Süd container ships was christened at the Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. Ltd. (DSME) yard in Okpo/Korea. Sponsor of the newbuilding was Dr. Irmgard Gold-Kunisch, wife of Dr. Rolf Kunisch, a member of the advisory board of the Oetker Group. Following delivery on 23 August, the Bahia Negra will be phased into Hamburg Süd's liner service between Asia/South Africa and South America East Coast.

The Bahia Negera is named after a small town in the northern tip of Paraguay. It lies in the region where the country meets Brazil and Bolivia at the Rio Paraguay, the river that marks the border to Brazil.

The Bahia Negra completes the series of Bahia ships at DSME. Until 2010, however, Hamburg Süd, will be having a further 16 container ships built at DSME and at its Romanian sister yard of Daewoo Mangalia Heavy Industries (DMHI). Capacities will range from 5,500 TEU and 6,300 TEU.