MSC over Maersk - amended

 Since over taking Maersk last year the Mediterranean Shipping Company has increased its lead as the largest container shipping company. As reported in the previous post, MSC now counts more than 900 ships (including owned and chartered ships) under its control. It was able to build its fleet by vacuuming up older ships from various owners. 

Two of those older ships arrived in Halifax today (April 24) and by coincidence, both are ex Maersk ships.

 MSC Rita V was acquired from Maersk in 2024 after serving as the Maersk Bentonville. It was built in 2006 by PS Werften Stralsund (Volkswerft GmbH) as a 48,853 gt, 53,702 dwt ship with a capacity of 4504 TEU including 1400 reefer plugs, It is unusual to see a ship with engines amidships these days. Although built as Maersk Bentonville it was renamed Bentonville from 2010 to 2013, but reverted to Maersk Bentonville again. Its Maersk hull banner was hastily painted over last year, but is still visible.

 The ship was named for Bentonville, Arkansas home and headquarters of Walmart - a major customer of many container shipping lines. On this trip it is serving MSC's Mediterranean Express and is en route from Sines, Portugal to Montreal.

Today's second arrival was the MSC Anya dating from 2005. Built by Hyundai Samho it is rated at 55,510 gt, 74,938 dwt with a capacity of 4993 TEU. It has also been reported at 5018 TEU and 550 reefer points.

 

Launched as  Santa Pelagia it was renamed Maersk Detroit on delivery and carried that name until 2010 when it reverted to Santa Pelagia briefly before becoming Cap Serrat the same year. It became Santa Pelagia again from 2012 to 2014 when it was renamed MSC Anya. The ship is arriving from Liverpool, UK on the Montreal Express to Montreal. Ships on that service don't usually call in Halifax, so it may be here to reduce draft to St.Lawrence River requirements. Curiously the ship's funnel does not carry the MSC emblem. (It is not owned by MSC but is under their management.)

Amendment:

Maersk ordered seven high speed container ships to run between China and the US west coast. Capable of a maximum 37 knots and a cruising speed of 29 knots, the ships consumed an estimated 300 tonnes of fuel per day to achieve that speed. The "B" class, which included Maersk Bentonville were delivered just as the economy took a nose dive, and the ships were laid up for nearly a year and never operated on the intended high speed route. Reducing speed to 12 knots also reduced fuel consumption to a more manageable 50 tonnes per day level.

I believe there was some incentive to built these high speed ships for future strategic (that is military) use. They could deliver needed cargo quickly over long distances in case of emergency.

The ships' huge Sulzer / Wärtsilä 12 cylinder main engines, delivering 58,344 kW / 78,240 hp. were too large to squeeze into the narrow after part of the hull, so had to be installed midships. The 96C type engine is a two stroke, turbocharged slow speed engine availabelin various sizes.   

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