What Crew Members Say About Merkur-Fjord

In a significant development, CMA CGM has finalized a new long-term charter agreement, set to span between 60 to 63 months. This strategic move will see the company operating in the lucrative Continental and West Africa regions. The charter will fetch a daily rate of $35,000, enhancing CMA CGM's capabilities and service offerings in these vital shipping lanes. This commitment underscores CMA CGM's dedication to its growth and expansion in maritime logistics.

Next week, Hamburg Süd will officially launch the CAP CLEVELAND, a state-of-the-art container ship boasting a capacity of 3,868 TEU. The vessel, chartered from the esteemed German non-operating owner F. A. Vinnen & Co., has been ready for deployment for approximately two months but was held at the shipyard until Hamburg Süd's operational requirements called for it. The CAP CLEVELAND will enhance the company's dedicated service routes to Australia and New Zealand, operating within the WCNA network, in partnership with CMA CGM and ANL. This new vessel will take over for the previously utilized 3,104 TEU CAP EGMONT. The CAP CLEVELAND is the first of two SDARI 3800 class vessels that Vinnen ordered from Shanghai Shipyard back in September 2010, with each ship priced around USD 50 million. A second vessel, slated for service as CAP CORAL, is also ready to be launched soon. For Vinnen, these two ships are temporarily listed as MERKUR FJORD and MERKUR OCEAN on their records.

This week, Bremen's own F. A. Vinnen & Co is set to take delivery of the highly anticipated MERKUR FJORD, marking a significant milestone as the first vessel in a pair of SDARI 3800 type ships ordered back in September 2010 from Shanghai Shipyard. Each vessel was secured for an estimated USD 50 million. Following its delivery, the MERKUR FJORD will embark on a five-year charter agreement with the renowned German shipping line Hamburg Süd, operating under the name CAP CLEVELAND. The MERKUR FJORD, measuring 228.00 meters in length and 37.20 meters in width (featuring 15 rows), is the fifth addition to the SDARI 3800 series. The ship boasts a substantial container capacity, capable of handling 3,868 twenty-foot equivalent units (teu). However, capacity estimates for similar vessels have varied slightly, with some sources citing figures of 3,765 teu and 3,820 teu, hinting at differing assumptions regarding deck load capacities among shipping managers. Additionally, the vessel is equipped to power up to 500 reefer containers, ensuring efficient operations for temperature-sensitive cargo. For further details on this significant addition to F. A. Vinnen & Co's fleet, visit the full story at linervision.wordpress.com.