The world’s greenest ultra-large container vessel, the 18,800 TEU MV Al Zubara, passed through the new Suez Canal this week to mark the United Arab Shipping Company’s (UASC) 40th anniversary in the shipping business.
“Initiating UASC’s 40th anniversary celebrations from the Suez Canal makes perfect sense given its strategic location, being the fastest maritime route connecting Asia to Europe,” said Basil Al-Zaid, Chief Financial Officer at UASC.
“UASC’s vessels passed through the Suez Canal around 295 times last year, reflecting its’ importance to us. Having the new canal operational has helped to reduce our vessel’s transit time, which of course, reflects positively on the company.”
To date, UASC has received five 18,800 TEU class vessels, namely, Barzan, Al Muraykh, Al Nefud, Al Zubara and Al Dahna.
According to the owner, this series of vessels are considered the world’s greenest due to their environmental credentials and first-class technology on board.
Just last month, UASC’s Al Muraykh was put to the test when it achieved a record breaking load of 18,601 TEU. The vessel left Malaysia’s Port Klang carrying the most ever shipping containers on board a vessel and sailed to its first port of call in Europe, the DP World London Gateway Port, where it unloaded 3,800 containers.