Danish shipping giant Maersk has transferred two of its wafmax (West African maximum) class of containerships of 4,496 TEU deployed on Asia-West Africa trades to its Far East-Horn of Africa (HoA) service, reports Alphaliner.
The Horn of Africa service, run with its unit Safmarine, connects East Africa and the Pacific basin to the Red Sea as a relay service hubbing at Tanjung Pelepas, with further calls to Jebel Ali, Djibouti, Jeddah, Port Sudan, Djibouti, Laem Chabang and back Tanjung Pelepas.
The two wafmax vessels, Maersk Cairo and Safmarine Chambal, will replace two 3,604 TEU 1991-92-built hatchless container vessels recently sold for scrap, the Nedlloyd Asia and Nedlloyd America. Two vessels will remain alongside of Nedlloyd Europa and Nedlloyd Africa to be replaced by Wafmax vessels in the future, said the report.
Replacements on the West Africa route will be chartered newbuildings of 5,000-5,400 TEU, including the 5,071-TEU Seasmile and Seadream, chartered from Greek owner Thenamaris, and the Charlotte Schulte, first of four 5,370-TEU ships chartered from the Schulte Group.
The wafmax is a wide beam containership offering a reduced draft for a same cargo intake than standard vessels of the same capacity, and provides 15 container rows on deck. It is fitted with four cranes and boasts a commercial speed of 21.5 knots by a six cylinder MAN-B&W diesel engines, an engine designed to be a super slow version, rated at 27,060 kW at its MCR (maximum cruising speed) of 78 rpm.
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