On July 1 the largest container ship ever to call at an SA port will arrive in the Port of Durban. The MSC Sola is more than the length of three and a half rugby pitches (364 metres) and can carry 11 660 TEUs when she’s fully loaded. That capacity rated her as one of the world’s container super-ships in the year of her launch of 2008 – only superseded in that year by her MSC sister ship, the 13 798-TEU MSC Daniela, and the eight-strong fleet of Maersk 15 500-TEU super-ships led by the 2006- launched Emma Maersk. But the 15.5-m draught of the 131 771-tonne MSC Sola won’t allow her to berth at Durban’s container terminal quays when she’s fully loaded. MSC told FTW that she would be sailing the Far East- SA trade on her July 1 arrival voyage, but that it’s currently only a one-off call – although Pic Cap: MSC Sola ... capable of carrying 11 660 TEUs when fully loaded. a second may take place.
