Ever Salute, the last of 10 7,024 TEU S-series vessels being built for Evergreen in Japan, was launched on September 8 at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ Kobe shipyard.

She was named by S S Lin (Lin Sun-san), first vice-group chairman of the Evergreen Group, while the ceremonial rope cutting, sending the ship down the slipway, was performed by Fusae Katsumata, the wife of Nobuo Katsumata, president and CEO of the Marubeni Corporation.

Due for delivery in January 2008, Ever Salute is scheduled to join one of Evergreen Line’s transpacific services. The first eight vessels are now operating on the company’s new China Europe Shuttle (CES) that offers a fast link between Asia and North Europe, while the ninth vessel, Ever Safety, is scheduled for delivery next month (October) and will also enter the transpacific trade.