The 8,530-teu vessel set out on her maiden voyage from Ningbo (China) following delivery to the shipping company at the end of April. Carrying an export cargo destined for northern Europe, the vessel sailed as part of the AEX-1 Far East'Europe scheduled liner service operated by the China Shipping Container Line (CSCL), which also offers container space to the slot-charter partner companies CMA CGM, ZIM and IRISL Lines. Via Barcelona, Valencia and Felixstowe, the journey led to Hamburg, Europe's leading seaport for cargo from and to the Far East and China.
Loading and unloading of the containers was handled by the Eurogate Container Terminal Hamburg (CTH).
The XIN MEI ZHOU is 334 meters long, 42.8 meters wide and has a container capacity of 8,530 teu (20-foot standard containers), including more than 700 reefer connections.
The ship is powered by a 68,250-KW MAN B&W 12-cylinder main engine, which gives it a top speed of 24.5 knots. The maximum draught is 13.9 meters. 'Mei Zhou' is Chinese for 'America.' The names of her sister ships commissioned earlier are XIN YA ZHOU (which means 'Asia') and XIN OU ZHOU ('Europe').
Following clearance, the XIN MEI ZHOU set out on her return journey to Asia via Antwerp. On her way, she will be calling at the ports of Guangzhou, Ningbo, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Port Kelang.
