First China-made 8,530-TEU container ship delivered

The first 8,530-TEU container ship — a totally designed and created Chinese ship — has been delivered to China Shipping Container Lines and has left for its maiden voyage to the United States.

It has made China the fourth country in the world, after the Republic of Korea, Japan and Denmark that is able to design and build such giant container ships.

The ship, named New Asia, is one of a group of five container ships of the same type designed and being built by Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding for China Shipping Container Lines.

The 101,000-dwt container ship, 335 meters long and 42.8 meters wide, can reach 25 knots and is the start of a fleet.

The Shanghai-based shipbuilding company spent six years build this first ship, the largest container ship independently designed and built by China. Now the company has confirmed nine orders for its 8,530-TEU container ships, including four for the Greek Costamare Shipping Company.

Our illustration is NOT of this boat but of a similar container vessel. It was built by Samsung Heavy Industries for China Shipping Container Lines and is a 9,600-TEU series mega carrier. Note that this is in the megacarrier class yet only carries about 1,000 more containers than New Asia. And this particular ship is reported as having ‘topped a speed of 25.4 knots, very impressive for a ship of this magnitude to reach.’ So New Asia is both fast and large and destined for success.