DP World's flagship port, the Jebel Ali Port, recently welcomed Grete Maersk, one of the biggest ships ever handled by the port in its 30-year history, GN reported.
Representatives of DP World and Maersk shipping line held a ceremony aboard the ship to celebrate its maiden voyage to Jebel Ali Port.
The 367-metre long Grete Maersk is the longest ship to arrive at the Jebel Ali Port. The ship, with a width of 43 metres and draft of 15 metres, has a capacity of approximately 8,200 TEUs (20 foot equivalent unit) and a Gross Register Tonnage (GRT) of approximately 98,000 tonnes.
The ship berthed at quay 4 at Jebel Ali Port and was handled by four of the port's largest tandem lift gantries, the biggest of their kind in the world.
Mohammad Al Muallem, senior vice-president and managing director of DP World - UAE region, said: , "We, at DP World - UAE region, are proud to host Grete Maersk. This occasion fortifies our solid, long-standing relationship with Maersk Line and also affirms the position of Jebel Ali Port as a regional hub. With its 17-metre draft capacity, Jebel Ali Port is poised to cater to the next generation of mega ships that exceed 13,000 TEUs."
Henrik Petersen, senior general manager, operations execution at Maersk Line said: "We would like to thank DP World for its continuous cooperation and support to Maersk. The maiden voyage of Grete Maersk to Jebel Ali Port reiterates the magnitude and importance of the port as one of the biggest and most vital facilitators of import and export in the UAE and the region as a whole."
Jebel Ali Port has recently undergone a major expansion that saw the construction of a new container terminal (Terminal 2). which will add more than five million TEUs to the overall capacity of the port by February 2009, raising the total capacity of Jebel Ali Port to 14 million TEUs.