Read Authentic Ratings for the Santa-Cruz

On March 3, 2024, a crew member tragically fell overboard from the MV Santa Cruz while navigating the waters off the Eastern Cape coast. The vessel, which had departed from Durban on March 1 and was en route to Cape Town, was approximately 22 nautical miles east of Cape Recife, near Port Elizabeth, when the incident occurred. Despite a comprehensive and coordinated search effort led by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Cape Town, the search for the missing crew member has been called off without success. At around 6:42 p.m. local time, the MRCC issued a distress signal to nearby ships. The fishing vessel 'Portunity' was quick to respond, with additional support coming from the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) in Port Elizabeth and several other vessels that joined the nighttime search. The search team, which included up to six additional vessels, conducted extensive operations throughout the night; however, they were unable to locate the seafarer, who notably was not wearing a life jacket at the time of the incident. The MV Santa Cruz has since resumed its journey to Cape Town, where the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) will initiate a detailed investigation into the circumstances surrounding this unfortunate event.

In a significant milestone for Hamburg Süd, the container ship 'Santa Cruz' (IMO: not specified, 7,100 TEU) has officially transitioned from the Liberian flag to the Luxembourg flag. This change was executed at the Port of Hamburg on March 26, 2013, marking the first instance of a Hamburg Süd vessel being registered in Luxembourg's shipping registry. The 'Santa Cruz' operates within the Europe – South America East Coast liner service and its new registration is a strategic step towards Hamburg Süd's goal of having 60 percent of its owned fleet flying European flags. Currently, among their 36 owned vessels, 18 are registered under the German flag, one under the Luxembourg flag, and this adjustment raises the total of ships under European flags to 53 percent.

On July 23, 2011, Hamburg Süd celebrated the christening of its latest container ship, the 'Santa Cruz', during an exclusive customer event in Shanghai. This momentous occasion was graced by Heike Schmidt, the wife of Dr. Heino Schmidt, a member of the Hamburg Süd Executive Board, who served as the ship's sponsor. The 'Santa Cruz' is the fourth vessel in a fleet of ten identical container ships, each boasting an impressive capacity of 7,100 TEU and outfitted with 1,600 reefer container plugs, marking a significant addition to Hamburg Süd’s growing maritime operations. These vessels are set to be completed by late 2012, enhancing the company's service capabilities. Since her delivery from Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. Ltd. (DSME) in Korea in early May 2011, the 'Santa Cruz' has been an integral part of Hamburg Süd’s New Good Hope Express service, navigating routes between Asia and the South Africa/South America East Coast. Named after a province in the Argentinian region of Patagonia, the 'Santa Cruz' holds strategic importance for Hamburg Süd, as Argentina remains one of its key markets in South America.