After setting the record as the largest containership that called on North America’s east coast in May, the 16,022-TEU CMA CGM Marco Polo made her maiden call at the Port of Laem Chabang in Thailand.
The French shipping giant said that the event marked ‘the biggest containership to be deployed in Thailand by the CMA CGM Group’.
Managing director of CMA CGM Thailand, Benoit de Quillacq, said: ‘The milestone marks a delivery our promise to provide better ways of serving or shippers and keeping their supply chains moving. CMA CGM Marco Polo is the first of three upsized vessels to be calling at Laem Chabang.
‘The phasing-in of the larger 16,022TEU vessels on the Columbus JAX service serves as timely with Thai exporters ramping-up for the upcoming peak season in shipping to North America.’
Joining CMA CGM in receiving the vessel at the Laem Chabang port were the Port Authority of Thailand managing director, Montree Lerghchumniel; Economic Counsellor from the French Embassy in Bangkok, Hubert Colaris; and Dubai Deputy Head of Mission, Sultan Obaid Sultan.
CMA CGM Marco Polo departed Laem Chabang on 1 July laden with 3,467 TEU of Thai exports comprising household goods, electronics and automotive parts. She will make a port stop at Vung Tau, Vietnam before heading for Los Angeles in North America.