King Abdulaziz Port has received the largest container vessel in its history with the arrival of Hapag Lloyd-owned Berlin Express, a 23,664-TEU carrier measuring 400 meters in length, 61 meters in width, and 16 meters in draught, according to Mawani's release.
Part of a new class of containerships deployed for the first time by the German shipping liner, the LNG dual-fuel propelled vessel called at the Dammam port on the AG3 cargo service, which connects the Arabian Gulf hub with Port Kelang, Singapore, Shekou, Hong Kong, Kaohsiung, Ningbo, Shanghai, Qingdao, Busan, Sohar, Jebel Ali, Abu Dhabi, Hamad, and Jubail.
King Abdulaziz Port has fast-acquired a remarkable reputation within the global maritime landscape for its world-class facilities and operational efficiency, making it a go-to destination in the age of ever-expanding global trade. With recent infrastructure upgrades that include the installation of three state-of-the-art quay cranes, the Kingdom’s northern trade gateway is pivotal to the country’s ambitions of becoming a global logistics hub at the intersection of three major continents as listed out in the National Transport and Logistics Strategy (NTLS).
The Dammam port had earlier welcomed CMA CGM SYMI, making it the first LNG powered containership to berth at the Kingdom’s East Coast. The mega vessel boasts a capacity of 15,400 TEUs, a length of 366 meters, a width of 51 meters, and a draught of 16 meters.