The Dubai-based United Arab Shipping Company has taken delivery of its first 13,500TEU capacity container vessels. Umm Salal, named after the municipality in the state Qatar, was handed over during a ceremony at the Samsung Heavy Industries shipyard in Geoje, South Korea, where the vessel was named by her sponsor, Sheikh Ali Bin Jassim Al Thani.
The new vessel is the first in a series of nine A13 class container ships that UASC has on order at Samsung, at a combined contract price of around US$1.5 billion. The remaining eight sisterships will enter service during the first four months of 2012. With an overall length of 366m, and powered by a Doosan MAN B&W 12K98ME7 main engine, Umm Salal can operate at a service speed of around 25 knots. The new ship has capacity for 800 40ft reefer containers on deck.
Umm Salal is initially being deployed within the new AEC8 service that UASC launched in March this year, together with China Shipping Container Line, CMA CGM and Evergreen.
