First 20,000 TEU ‘Megaship’ Docks in UK

MOL Triumph docked at the port of Southampton, May 11, 2017. Photo: Andrew McAlpine

The 20,170 teu MOL Triumph became the largest ship to ever visit the UK when it docked at the port of Southampton earlier today.

MOL Triumph is the first in a new breed of ultra large container vessels (ULCV), or so-called’megaships’, entering service this year with capacity to carry more than 20,000 twenty-foot. It was delivered to Japanese container shipping company, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines’ (MOL), back in March. 

The ship arrived at DP World Southampton on Thursday after sailing from Asia as part of THE Alliance’s FE2 service. MOL Triumph’s call marks the inaugural call of the Asia-Europe service in the UK before heading over to northern Europe. 

THE Alliance is a shipping consortium made up of MOL, Yang Ming, NYK, K-Line and Hapag Lloyd/UASC.

DP World Southampton is the only UK port handling vessels on services operated by the three major shipping alliances: 2M, Ocean Alliance, and THE Alliance. All three have started or are planning on taking delivery of ultra-large containerships in 2017 that are capable of handling more than 20,000 twenty-foot containers.

Later this year the port will also welcome 20,568 TEU Munich Maersk, a second-generation Triple-E.

Elsewhere in the UK, DP World’s London Gateway terminal will see the first weekly Far East service arrival when the NYK Lloyd Don Pascuale docks at the terminal’s new Berth 3, which opened in April.

MOL Triumph, measuring 400 meters long and 59 meters wide, is the first in MOL’s fleet of six 20,000 TEU-class vessels.