MOL Partner lives up to name

MOL Partner is the name for this post-Panamax container ship, and indeed is in partnership with other Japanese shipping companies.

What would normally be a rivalry between K-Line (Kawasaki Kaishen Kaisha) has become a joint operation with MOL (Mitsui OSK Lines) to increase the number and size of ships on ther CKYH service (with Cosco, Hanjin and Yang Ming.)

MOL Partner was built in 2005 by Koyo Dockyard in Mihara, Japan and is a typically functional vessel of 71,902 gross tons. With a capacity of 6350 TEU, the ship can do 26 knots if pushed, but is nowadays steaming at a more economical speed as part of the nine ship rotation from Asia to the east coast of North America. It is the second MOL ship to join the rotation, and apppears to be fairly fresh from the shipyard, with pristine hull paint.

When it sailed this morning at 0745, the ship gave 1130 tomorrow for arrival at Ambrose pilots for New York.

MOL makes a big arrival and big departure.

1. MOL Paramount gets away from pier 42 at dusk. In the background Algoma Dartmouth bunkers Oceanex Sanderling at pier 41. The ship shows symbols for two bow thrusters, and only needed on tug on the stern to get off the berth.

2. MOL Paramount gets up to speed slowly.

The CKYH Alliance, run by K-Line and including Cosco, Yang Ming and Hanjin has been gradually increasing the size of ships on their AWE-4 service since May. Previously operated with eight ships of 4700 TEU capacity, the service has now been increased to nine ships of at least 5500 TEU.

At the same time the number of ports has also increased, so they are still calling in Halifax weekly. The port rotation is Ho Chi Min City/ Shekou/ Hong Kong, Yantian/ Singapore/ Halifax (via Suez Canal)/ New York/ Norfolk/ Jacksonville/ Savannah/ Singapore.

With the increase in number of ships, K-Line actually reduced its ships in the service to seven and partnered with Mitsui OSK Line (MOL) to provide two ships. This effectively joins MOL's SVE (South Vietnam-US East Coast) service with the AWE-4 service. MOL also operates the New World Alliance with APL Singapore and Hyundai Merchant Marine.

That is a long winded explanation for the arrival today of MOL Paramount, a 71,902 gt behemoth, built in 2005 and carrying 6350 TEU. While it doesn't appear much larger than the other post Panamax ships we see in Halifax, this one is a full 13m longer (at 293.19m) and the same 40 m width. This means one complete container bay at the maximum width of the ship. It carries containers 15 wide on its decks. OOCL's post-panamax ships are in the 5888 TEU range (280.54m x 40m.) MOL Paramount is powered with a MAN-B&W main engine of 85,000 bhp and can do 25 knots. However on this service, with nine ships, it will likely steam at slower, more economical speeds.

Built by Koyo Dockyard in Mihare, Japan, MOL Paramount flies the Panamanian flag-even though it cannot pass through the current Panama Canal.