The first of eight 5,888-TEU S-Class vessels was named the m.v. OOCL Vancouver by the vessel's Sponsor Mrs. Linda Kwan Chow at the Koyo Dockyard Co. Ltd., of Imabari Shipbuilding Group, in Mihara City, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan on 2 February 2006.
Mr. Philip Chow, the CEO of Orient Overseas Container Line Ltd., spoke at the ceremony, 'It is my great honor to be here today at the Koyo Dockyard to witness this completion of this marvelous vessel,' he said, praising the on-time delivery of the OOCL Vancouver.
The OOCL Vancouver is the first of the S-Class vessels to be delivered this year. All eight vessels are scheduled for delivery by the close of 2007, from Imabari. With her addition, the OOCL Vancouver will join the Grand Alliance's Transpacific Service, which introduces its new, customer-oriented schedule, this month.
The OOCL Vancouver will serve on the Pacific North-West Express Service between Asia and Vancouver, Canada under the Grand Alliance. Her port rotation is: Singapore/Laem Chabang/ Shekou/Hong Kong/Kaoshiung/Vancouver/Seattle/Pusan/Kaoshiung/Hong Kong/Shekou / and back to Singapore, in a 42-day round trip.
'As a container transport line, we demand the greatest quality from ourselves to serve our customers. Therefore we are most gratified and honored to have the OOCL Vancouver built by the finest shipyard in Japan,' said Mr. Chow.
The 5,888-teu S-Class vessel is the latest design with modern technology fully complied with the international regulations including environmental protection.
'We look forward, with complete faith, to this first-class, new-generation vessel; that she will carry out her many voyages with great strength, speed and excellent health for decades to come; upholding the honor of her builders,' Mr. Chow concluded.
