Car-carrying giant makes EL debut

The Courageous Ace . . . carrying capacity of more than twice that of EL’s car terminal. Leonard Neill THE FIRST of MOL’s new fleet of super car carriers, the Courageous Ace, sailed into East London harbour last week to be greeted by tug hooters, water cannons and international dignitaries. It was the largest car carrier to have entered the port. The new vessel, on its maiden voyage to Africa, was built in Japan and completed in March this year, It has the capacity to carry up to 6 400 conventional vehicles with adjustable decks to enable it to carry larger items such as earth-moving equipment The vessel has a carrying capacity of more than twice that of the East London car terminal with its 2 800 parking bays, yet requires only 22 crew to operate it. A mini-refinery onboard converts crude oil into diesel fuel to run the giant engines. MOL managing director for Europe and Africa Shiro Adachi told guests at an on board function in East London last week that his company expected to have built and placed into service 18 similar car carriers by 2006.