January 21 - Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), the world's biggest shipbuilder, has begun building the first of five 19,000 teu containerships for China Shipping Container Lines (Hong Kong) Co Ltd (CSCL).
The shipowner upgraded the original order for five 18,400 teu containerships to ones capable of delivering 600 more containers. These new ships will be the largest containerships ever built.
The world's largest containership currently is Maersk McKinney Moller, which is capable of carrying 18,200 teu and is the first of a fleet of 20 such ships on order with Daewoo.
According to Hyundai Heavy Industries, the first of the 19,000 teu ships is due for delivery from November this year.
The huge ships will be 400 m in length; 58.6 m wide and leave CSCL with the bragging rights about having the largest containerships in service - until the next order comes along!
