Yantian Express, the largest container ship ever to call at Fairview Cove arrived this morning. At 7506 TEU, it is about 800 TEU larger than the largest post-Panamax ships that have been calling here. As an inaugural call of sorts, the ship took two pilots and made heavy use of its escort tug to slow the ship as it passed into Bedford Basin.
Assigned to the new G-6 Alliance service, the ship is ahead of the scheduled start of the service in June. That Asia-US+Canada east coast A2X loop began today, but in Laem Chabang, Thailand when OOCL Oakland sailed. It will be followed in the rotation by APL Blegium, Canada Express, APL Pearl, Yantain Express, APL Agate, Ningbo Express, APL Coral, Dalian Express and APL Cyprene. Most of the ships will be new to Halifax, and all are post-Panamax size, but not all as large as this one.
Yantian Express was built in 2002 by Hyundai, Ulsan. Although launched as Berlin Express, it entered service as Shanghai Express, and took its present name in 2012. At 88,493 gross tons and 100,003 deadweight it is 20 meters longer, two meters wider, and nearly 15,000 tonnes deadweight larger than the post-Panamaxes we have been seeing up until now.
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