The 2023-built and 24,346TEU capacity container ship MSC Loreto made her maiden call at Rotterdam Maasvlakte and Antwerp during her maiden voyage.
In nominal container capacity, she is currently the biggest container ship in service, together with her sister ship MSC Irina.
She was built by Yangzi Xinfu Shipbuilding, a subsidiary of Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Group for China’s Bank of Communications Financial Leasing (Bocomm Leasing) and MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company.
MSC Loreto is one of a series of six ships, all of which are being built by Yangzi Xinfu, and is the second from the series to be delivered.
In March the container shipping giant MSC welcomed into their fleet the massive MSC Irina. Both Irina and Loreto were launched in October 2022.
Like her sister vessel, MSC Loreto has an actual loading capacity of 24,346TEU, and is equipped with modern technology and features that make it energy and fuel efficient.
The containership measures 399.99m by 61.3m, and her deck area spans a 24,000 sq meters. The vessel has a depth of 33.5m, a structural draft of 17m, and has a service speed of 22.5 knots.
The ship incorporates several innovative energy-saving features, including a small bulbous bow, large-diameter propellers, and energy-saving ducts.
So far this year, MSC has taken delivery of four 24,000TEU ships: MSC Tessa, MSC Raya, MSC Irina, and MSC Celestino Maresca.
MSC has the largest orderbook by far in the industry with over 134 containerships on order. The company has 14 megamax ships and 22 neo-panamax ships on order scheduled for delivery this year.
Photo of MSC Celestino Maresca at Felixstowe on 13 May by Andrew McAlpine.
