Several container lines name their ships for cities - usually important ports on their routes, or sources of cargo. HAPAG-Lloyd is one such line as is ZIM. Other lines seem to have various naming schemes and sometimes use cities - MSC is one of the latter.
It had to happen that two ships named after the same city would arrive in Halifax on the same day, and today, March 19, was the day.
First in was MSC Qingdao, joined later in the day by ZIM Qingdao, tying up at adjacent berths at PSA Halifax Atlantic Gateway.
ZIM Qingdao is securing at Pier 42 (left) while the larger MSC Qingdao occupies Pier 41 (right)
The city of Qingdao (meaning Azuere Island), China, is in Shandong Province on the Yellow Sea. A major commercial and technical hub it has a population in excess of 10 million. Its port is an important one for the region and is served by most shipping lines.
MSC's ship took its name in 2019 when the former OOCL Qingdao was renamed MSC Qingdao. It was built in 2004 by Samsung HI in Geoje and is an 89,097 gt, 105,162 dwt ship with a capacity of 8063 TEU including 1400 reefers. MSC usually uses women's names for its own ships, but in this case the ship is chartered, so is an exception. It also carries the funnel markings of its managers Technomar Shipping Inc.
Most OOCL ships were built for trans Pacific service and have sturdy lashing frames on the stern to secure containers from following seas.
(A flotilla of ducks - I believe Greater Scaups - ignores the arrival)
ZIM's ship was built in 2006 by Dalian New Shipbuilding and is a 39,906 gt, 50,689 dwt vessel with a capacity of 4250 TEU.
Both ships have been calling in Halifax for several years, but this is the first time that the two have been in port at the same time.
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