On Friday, September 16, 2011, Hamburg Süd christened the container ship Santa Catarina in Itapoá (Brazil) as part of a customer event. Sponsor of the Santa Catarina was Elisabeth Meves, wife of the former Chairman of the Executive Board of Hamburg Süd, Dr Klaus Meves.
The “Santa Catarina” takes her name from the Brazilian Federal State in which the ship christening was held. With this choice of name the Hamburg Süd Group is underlining its close attachment to this region, which ranks among the shipping group’s most important export markets on South America’s east coast. Since its formation in 1871, Hamburg Süd has seen in Brazil a key partner for its business. The first ships at the time called at the ports in Rio and Santos. Today, 140 years further, the shipping group’s engagement has expanded substantially. The Hamburg Süd Group is, for example, supporting infrastructure enhancement in Brazil by taking a 30 per cent stake in the new Tecon Santa Catarina Container Terminal in Itapoá by Hamburg Süd’s affiliate Aliança.
The “Santa Catarina” is the fifth newbuilding in a series of ten identical container vessels, each featuring a slot capacity of 7,100 TEU and fitted with 1,600 reefer plugs apiece. This puts them among the largest ships ever built for Hamburg Süd. All ten vessels of this series will be delivered by summer 2012. Since her delivery at Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. Ltd. (DSME) in Korea in March 2011, the “Santa Catarina” has been operating in Hamburg Süd’s service between Asia and South Africa/South America East Coast (New Good Hope Express).
Technical data of the “Santa Catarina”:
Capacity 93,430 tdw
Slot capacity 7,100 TEU
Reefer plugs 1,600
Length overall 299.9 m
Length between perpendiculars 286.8 m
Width 42.8 m
Draught max. 13.5 m
Speed 22.2 kn
Main engine output 45,760 kW