The maiden voyage of the CMA CGM Danube will begin on June 30, 2014 in China, CMA CGM Group announced.
The 9,400 TEU ship is the first of a series of 28 ships from 9,400 to 10,900 TEU which will be delivered from now to the third quarter of 2016.
Sailing under the Malta’s flag and chartered bareboat to CIMC, it is the first ship of this class built at the Chinese construction site DSIC (Dalian PRC) and delivered to CMA CGM.
Covering 300m in length and 48m in width, it was designed to offer maximal loading capacity while meeting the technical constraints necessitated by the Strait of the Bosphorus.
The Danube has the capacity of 1,458 reefer plugs 40’, which is the largest so far on such a ship.
Operated on one of the Bosphorus Express Line, the Danube will offer direct service between Asia, Turkey and the Black Sea.
Accordingly, it will call Dalian, Tianjin, Kwangyang, Busan, Shanghai, Ningbo, Chiwan, Yantian, Tanjung Pelepas, Izmit, Istanbul Ambarli, Constanza, Odessa, Ilyichevsk, Port Said, Port Kelang, Singapore, and once again Dalian.
The vessel is equipped with all the latest environmental technologies which significantly reduce its C02 emissions.
More particularly, it features new bulbous bow shapes improving the hydrodynamics of the vessel at a speed of 16 to 18 knots.
[mappress] Press Release; June 27, 2014; Image: CMA CGM