Munkebo Maersk Becomes Biggest Ship to Sail on the Thames

The 18,300 TEU Triple E container ship Munkebo Maersk became the largest ship to ever sail up the River Thames as it called at DP World London Gateway today.

The 399 metre long, 60 metre wide, 195,000 ton boxship, equivalent in length to almost four football pitches, is one of the largest container vessels in the world, operating on Maersk’s new East-West Network.

It was drawn alongside DP World London Gateway Port, adjacent to Europe’s largest logistics park, at 7.30 am local time, with the help of the Port of London Authority’s pilots.

It comes just weeks after the Edith Maersk called at DP World London Gateway, which at 366 metres, had held the previous record for the largest ship to sail up the River Thames.

Chief Executive of DP World London Gateway, Simon Moore, said: ”This is yet another record and landmark moment for DP World London Gateway. By welcoming the Munkebo Maersk we have demonstrated again that we are more than capable of handling the world’s biggest container ships, in this case operating on the Asia-Europe routes.”

Image: London Port Authority