The world’s largest containership, Ever Ace, made its first transit through the Suez Canal on Saturday, during a voyage from China to the Netherlands.

The hulking vessel is 400 meters long and 61.5 meters wide with a 15-meter draft, and it can carry on board up to 23,992 TEUs, overtaking HMM Algazeras as the world’s largest box ship in terms of overall capacity.

The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) said it took “all necessary measures and procedures” to ensure safe passage for the record-setting vessel, providing a group of senior pilots and accompanying tugs for assistance, in addition to the real-time follow-up from the main traffic office and guidance stations along the canal.

The Suez Canal, which gained international attention when the 20,000 TEU containership Ever Given ran aground and blocked the vital trade artery for six days in March, has accelerated plans to widen and deepen stretches of the waterway amid the growing size and number of ultra large container vessels operating globally.

The head of the SCA, Lieutenant-General Osama Rabie, said the canal is taking proactive steps and upgrading its navigational service as it aims to keep pace with these developments.

He said the world’s largest containership crossing the Suez Canal on its first cruise reflects the navigation community’s confidence in the canal’s ability to receive and accommodate current and future generations of mega ships.

 

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