Following modifications to some of its existing heavy lift vessel fleet, enabling them to transport containers, P&O Maritime Logistics is introducing a Red Sea service, connecting Jeddah and Port Sudan. The service will be operated in partnership with DP World group sister company, Unifeeder.

By establishing this new route using the modified Multi Carrying Vessels (MCVs), P&O Maritime Logistics aims to help reduce regional port congestion, as the MCV vessel type can call at smaller berths, and turnaround faster, compared to larger vessels on this shortsea route.

According to the company, shallow draft MCVs utilise less space and can access areas of the port where larger ships cannot fit due to their size and length. This is useful when connecting feeder ports, such as Port Sudan, with hub ports, such as Port of Jeddah.

P&O Maritime Logistics began modifying MCVs following successful trials with the Topaz Lena, one of two ships that will be deployed on the Red Sea route. The other is the Topaz Volga. The company is modifying a further two vessels and could have as many as ten modified upon request.

Source: https://www.themaritimestandard.com/new-red-sea-container-service-launched-by-po-maritime-logistics/