Itea sold to breakers

A container ship that was a regular caller in Halifax for more than two years has been sold to breakers "as is" in Hong Kong. Itea began to call for ACL in 2016 on its container only service from North Europe (Rotterdam, Bremerhaven, Antwerp, London gateway), in cooperation with what was the G6 Alliance.
Its first call in Halifax was likely July 25, 2016 - at least that is the first record I have.

It took a regular slot in the rotation and was here roughly monthly thereafter, usually calling east and westbound until its last call March 8, 2018.

It was reported yesterday that the ship had been sold to breakers only a few weeks before the 20th anniversary of its construction. Rather than face the strict requirements for classification after a twenty year survey, the Owners opted to unload the ship.

Itea emerged from the Hyundai, Ulsan shipyard June 8, 1998 as Bunga Raya Satu owned by Malaysian International Shipping Corporation Berhad (MISC Berhad). In 2011 MISC decided to get out of the highly competitive container business, and in 2012 sold the ship to Liberian flag owners, under the Costamare umbrella who renamed it Ky Parissia. The ship was renamed MSC Itea in 2014 for a charter to the Mediterranean Shipping Company that lasted until early in 2016. With a swipe of the paint brush it became simply Itea.

The ship is a 39,582 grt, 49,304 dwt vessel with a container capacity of 3842 TEU. During the most recent slump ships of this size were thought to be highly inefficient and were scrapped in droves, however there is again demand in that size range, but it was too late for Itea, which was likely built and operated for a short life.

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