THE biggest ship ever to dock in Israel, the 15,300-TEU Maersk Hamburg, is now the first of many such mega ships of the Maersk-MSC 2M Alliance coming to Haifa, reported Hellenic Shipping News.
It was widely assumed that ships this size would only be able to enter an Israeli port after the new terminals at Haifa and Ashdod were opened.
But preparations that included two new quay cranes with gantries extending across 21 rows, plus dredging alongside Carmel Terminal docks made berthing workable.
The ship arrived in Haifa from the Far East via Suez and continues into the Adriatic, before returning east. Starting this week, ships of this size will stop at Haifa every week as part of the 2M service rotation.
The next ship, the same-size Maersk Havana, which was launched last January, is already approaching the Red Sea and arrived in Haifa on the Israeli Independence Day May 8-9.
"This is another step towards ensuring a bright future for Haifa Port, and an important milestone in our strategic plan," said Haifa Port Company chairman Eshel Armony.
Said Haifa Port Company CEO Mendi Zaltzman: "Shipping companies receive excellent service and world-class operational efficiency at Haifa Port, which saves them a great deal of money."
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