By Maureen Mwangi
In a remarkable feat of engineering and maritime achievement, the world’s largest containership has been set to sea trial on January 9th, 2025, leaving the Nantong section of the Yangtze River. OOCL Valencia has been constructed by Orient Overseas Container Line Ltd (OOCL) and delivered in 2024.
OOCL Valencia is the seventh eco-friendly 24,188 Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit vessel in a series of twelve others ordered by OOCL and their first vessel of its kind in 2024. The vessel will serve Asia-Europe LL1 service.
The vessel was named ‘OOCL Valencia’ by Ms YING Xiuzhen, Director and Vice President of China-Base Ningbo Group Company Limited.
“Last year, OOCL received a total of six new container vessels and thus rapidly optimized the fleet structure of both OOCL and the group. In the new year, in addition to the OOCL Valencia, more high-quality and high-performance ships will sail from here. OOCL and Nantong Cosco Khi Ship Engineering Company Limited (NACKS) will continue to work for win-win cooperation, grow together, and strive to create value for customers and society. Back by the spirit of ‘take it personally’, OOCL continues to serve as the vital link to global trade, actively respond to the future challenges, and strive to providing customers with better and greener end-to-end integrated logistics and supply chain solutions, which will contribute to the construction of a world-leading shipping technology enterprise for the group,” said Ms. YU Tao, Director and Member of Executive Committee of OOCL during the launch ceremony of OOCL Valencia.
Image Courtesy
The launch of the OOCL Valencia marks an important milestone in the shipping industry, attracting attention from experts, industry enthusiasts, and stakeholders. It is anticipated to embark on a rigorous sea trial, testing its navigational systems, performance under various weather conditions, and overall stability. These trials will undoubtedly provide valuable insights into the vessel’s capabilities and pave the way for future advancements in container ship design.
The ship has a total length of 399.99 meters, a width of 61.3 meters and a depth of 33.2 meters. It has a deck area wider than three standard football fields. The ship can stack up to a maximum of 22-storey building at maximum carrying capacity. The ship’s grand size is a testament to the fast-expanding demands of global commerce and the ambition to optimize logistical capabilities.
In 1956, Malcolm Purcell McLean invented a modern intermodal shipping container, revolutionizing the container shipping industry. The shipping industry depends on efficiency and reliability, making shipping companies race to build the world’s largest container ships within the standard measurements; TEUs.
The Chinese company has demonstrated the constant pursuit of innovation and advancement within the industry. With the ships’ impressive size, unrivaled carrying capacity, and state-of-the-art technology, the OOCL Valencia has established its place in history as a game-changer in container shipping.