Hatsu Smart3rd of new containerships for Hatsu Marine Ltd.

Hatsu Smart, the third in a series of ten 7,024-teu S-type container vessels being built for Hatsu Marine Ltd., a company of the Evergreen Group, was launched October 21 at Mitsubishi Shipyards.

Dr. Y. F. Chang, founder and chairman of the Evergreen Group, named Hatsu Smart, while Mrs. Diana Seymour, whose husband, Julian Seymour, is Director of New Star Asset Management in the United Kingdom, cut the ceremonial rope sending the ship down the slipway and into the water for the first time. Mr. Seymour is former director of the office for former British Prime Minister Lady Margaret Thatcher.

Hatsu Smart is one of 18 post-Panamax containerships being delivered to the Evergreen Group 2005 to 2008, ten S-types and eight 8,000-teu C-types, allowing the Group to upgrade existing services and phase out older vessels.

Hatsu Smart is due to be delivered to Hatsu Marine Ltd. in March 2006 and will commence service between Asia and Europe shortly thereafter. Hatsu Marine currently owns eight ships, all of which fly the UK flag. Five are 6,332-teu E-class vessels that operate between the Far East and the West Coast of North America while two others are 1,618-teu P-class vessels currently deployed in regional Asian service within the Evergreen Group. The balance are the new S-type vessel.

Hatsu Marine was established in London in January 2002. Through slot-sharing and joint service agreements with other carriers including Evergreen and Lloyd Triestino, the company now offers its customers a network of services embracing Asia, North America and Europe. With the expansion of its fleet over the next few years, it will be adding to the number of services offered and expanding its capacity on existing services.

The new S-type vessels are particularly noteworthy in that they incorporate many new environmental features well beyond the requirements of new and soon-to-be-introduced international environmental upgrade requirements.