New OOCL Container Ship Launches

OOCL witnessed the launching of its latest 8,888 TEU vessel yesterday from Changxing Island shipyard in Shanghai on the 15th of January, 2013. The OOCL Miami is third of eight vessels commissioned by the shipping company from Hudong-Zhonghua. This ship is just the latest in a long line of ships built by Hudong-Zhonghua combining innovation with efficient techniques in construction. Hudong-Zhonghua has made a name for itself in recent years with its shipbuilding prowess and ability to deliver on time. It is because of these merits that OCCL had granted to them the contract for the construction of these 8,888 TEU ships. They have not disappointed. The OOCL Miami is scheduled to run the Trans-Pacific network’s Super Shuttle Express (SSX) service with an expected forty-two day port rotation. Hudong-Zhonghua is a massive shipbuilding enterprise, the forefront of which is the China Shipbuilding Group Corporation (CSGC). Their work is among the best in the industry and does not only consist of container ships. Hudong-Zhonghua has also built chemical carriers, passenger ships, and bulk-cargo transports, to name a few. A grand total of over three thousand ships have been built by this company. Hudong-Zhonghua builds for both the local and international market and holds their designs and construction to the highest of international standards. Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL) is a member of the Grand Alliance of shipping and has been a world leader in trade for over forty years. Their wide reaching service, spanning fifty-five countries and providing a whopping seventy-eight services, requires a large volume of trade and infrastructure. This partnership with Hudong-Zhonghua is beneficial to both companies: it results in getting OOCL the ships they need at world class standards and Hudong-Zhonghua gets the benefit of having their ships be part of a worldwide leader in shipping and proof that they are, indeed, well versed in the construction of these massive ships. OOCL and Hudong-Zhonghua will be continuing their partnership for the delivery of the next five vessels within the forthcoming years. Talks have commenced for a contract to begin construction of some larger vessels of the 13,000 TEU variety, but this is only rumor as of yet. It can be seen that this would be a very profitable move for Hudong-Zhonghua, as well as guarantee OOCL preferential status among one of the world’s foremost shipbuilding companies. As it stands now, OOCL’s contract for the 8,888 TEU vessels seems to be in quite safe hands.