Maersk celebrates its 10th birthday this month

World's first 8,000-TEU vessel turns 10 this month

THE world's first 8,000-TEU vessel, the Sovereign Maersk, celebrates its 10th birthday this month.

The containership was officially advertised as having a capacity of 6,600 TEU by APM-Maersk. However, a report by AXS-Alphaliner News said it estimated her capacity back in 1997 at 8,000 TEU.

The Sovereign Maersk is described as being a longer version of the Regina Maersk six-ship series that was advertised as 6,000-TEU ships by Maersk but estimated at 7,048 TEU by Alphaliner.

The first officially sized 8,000-TEU vessel, the OOCL Shenzhen, was commissioned in April 2003.

The report added that Maersk now has 50 ships of 8,000 TEU or more in its fleet and a total of 177 ships in service that are above 7,500 TEU in capacity.