Working Conditions Aboard the Santa-Ursula

In a recent escalation of maritime tensions, Houthi rebels announced that they have launched a drone strike against the container ship 'Santa Ursula' in the Arabian Sea. The incident occurred on December 27, 2024, near Socotra Island, with Houthi officials describing the attack as a direct response to what they termed the violation of their blockade on occupied Palestinian ports by the ship’s operators. The 'Santa Ursula' was en route to Oman from Algeciras when it lost its AIS signal at approximately 11:40 PM GMT on December 25. It reestablished communication early on December 27 near the port of Salah, signaling further developments in this unfolding situation.

On July 26, 2012, Hamburg Süd commemorated a significant milestone with the christening of the ‘Santa Ursula,’ a state-of-the-art container ship, at the bustling port of Santos, Brazil. The vessel was named by its sponsor, Marcia A. M. dos Santos, who serves as Vice President of Marfrig Alimentos S/A. As the eighth addition to a series of ten newly constructed ships, the ‘Santa Ursula’ showcases impressive metrics, measuring nearly 300 meters in length with a beam of 42.8 meters. This remarkable ship boasts a container capacity of 7,100 TEUs, mirroring its sister ships in the fleet. Notably, the current 'Santa' series represents the largest vessels ever built for Hamburg Süd, each equipped with 1,600 reefer plugs, positioning them among the world's leaders in reefer capacity. This feature is crucial in meeting the increasing demands for the export of Brazilian produce, including fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, flowers, and pharmaceuticals. Delivered in March 2012 by the prestigious Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. Ltd. (DSME) in Korea, the ‘Santa Ursula’ is now a vital component of Hamburg Süd's liner service, connecting Asia and the South Coast of South America/South Africa. This vessel marks the fourth occurrence in Hamburg Süd's storied 140-year history of the name 'Santa Ursula.'