MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company announced that MSC Gülsün, the world’s largest container ship, has arrived in Europe after completing its landmark maiden voyage from the north of China. At some 400 metres long and more than 60 metres wide, MSC Gülsün has a record-size capacity for a container ship: 23,756 TEU.
Built at the Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) Geoje shipyard in South Korea, MSC Gülsün sets a new standard in container shipping, in particular in terms of environmental performance. Bigger ships generally emit less CO2 per container carried, helping companies which move goods on MSC’s services between Asia and Europe to lower the carbon footprint of their supply chains. The vessel is equipped with more than 2,000 refrigerated containers, boosting the trade of food, drink, pharmaceutical and other chilled and frozen items between Asia and Europe.
MSC Gülsün’s energy efficiency and fuel economy ensure that MSC is on track to meet international 2030 environmental policy targets set by the UN International Maritime Organization (IMO) ahead of time. To comply with an upcoming marine fuel regulation in 2020, the ship is also equipped with a UN IMO-approved hybrid Exhaust Gas Cleaning System and has the option of switching to low-Sulphur fuel, or to be adapted for liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the future. MSC Gülsün together with her 10 sister ships are also all designed to meet the next steps in digital shipping, enabling fast data transmission to shore and connection for smart containers.
