World’s Largest Megaship Arrives in Europe

HMM Algeciras in Rotterdam. Photo: Port of Rotterdam Authority

The 24,000 TEU-class HMM Algeciras arrived in Rotterdam today setting a new record as the largest ship to enter a European port. 

The ship arrived at Rotterdam’s Amaliahaven to transfer containers at the Rotterdam World Gateway (RWG) terminal after traveling from the Chinese port of Yantian on its maiden voyage.

The HMM Algeciras was delivered to South Korea’s HMM in April by Daewoo Shipbuilding and Engineering (DSME). At 23,964 TEU, the ship is the current title-holder in the ranking of the largest ship in the world. The vessel measures some 399.9 meters meters in length and 61 meters beam. 

HMM Algeciras is the first of twelve 24,000 TEU-class vessels ordered in September 2018 as part an order for twenty ultra-large containerships split among South Korea’s ‘Big 3’ shipyards – DSME, Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) and Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI). Out of the twelve, DSME is construction seven of this ships while SHI is constructing the other five, all of which are planned to delivery this year. HHI is construction the other eight smaller 16,000 TEU ships for delivery in 2021.

HMM Algeciras is deployed on THE Alliances’s Far East Europe 4 (FE4) service with a port rotation starting at Qingdao, Busan, Ningbo, Shanghai, Yantian, Rotterdam, Hamburg, Antwerp and London, and returning via the Suez Canal and Singapore.

The vessel is scheduled to depart for Hamburg on the morning of June 6.

HMM is the new name for Hyundai Merchant Marine, the ninth largest container shipping line in the world.

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