Maersk Line said that A.P. Moller - Maersk has signed an agreement with Hyundai Heavy Industries for the delivery of 18 container vessels in 2011 and 2012. The vessels will each have a capacity of 4,500 TEU (twenty- foot equivalent unit).
The ships are designed to meet the highest demands for safe and economic transportation of goods in geographies such as the Eastern Mediterranean, Africa, and Latin America. In addition, each vessel is equipped with a waste heat recovery system. The system reuses excess heat from the exhaust and thus generates energy for propulsion of the vessel or on-board electricity consumption. The reduction in fuel consumption results in a corresponding reduction of emissions. It is the first time that an Asian yard will install a waste heat recovery system of this size and efficiency.
"We are very happy with this order. These vessels are part of our fleet renewal and development program. They will enable us to continue to offer competitive container shipping based on a modern, economical, and environmentally friendly fleet," says Senior Vice President Michel Deleuran, Head of Network & Product in Maersk Line.
In view of the flexible design of the vessels, Maersk Line will work on a variety of deployment scenarios. Currently, we expect to deploy the vessels in the trades to and from Sub-Saharan Africa.
Michel Deleuran said, "We have served the Sub-Saharan African market for more than 40 years, and we are dedicated to support the continued trade development in the region. We aim to continue to develop our services and support our customers' increasing business in the trades between Sub-Saharan Africa and the Americas, Europe, and Asia. These vessels will support us in that ambition and also show our long term commitment to Africa."
In Sub-Saharan Africa, the average export growth is currently 7% p.a. The average import growth is 11% p.a. Since 2002, export and import volumes have almost doubled. To support this development, the A.P. Moller - Maersk Group is not only involved in container shipping (Maersk Line, Safmarine, and Ocean Africa Container Line), but also in other container related activities such as terminals, stevedoring, logistics, warehousing and rail transportation.
"During the last 50 years, container transportation has been a key driver in globalization. Our business is about connecting the globe and we believe globalization based on fair and free trade is a winning proposition for Sub-Saharan Africa. Every day, our efforts and services contribute to improving world trade and thereby the living standards of people around the world," concludes Michel Deleuran.