UNITED Arab Shipping Company (UASC) has taken delivery of the first vessel in a series of eight 6,919-TEU containerships being built by South Korean shipbuilders Hyundai Heavy Industries under a contract signed in 2005.

The Kuwait-based shipping company took delivery in the South Korean city of Ulsan, where the Kuwaiti-flagged ship was named the Al Safat at a shipyard ceremony.

It is the first containership to be delivered since UASC had placed the order with HHI in March 2005 for eight "new generation" ships for US$850 million.

"Dignitaries from the Arabian Gulf as well as important government officials were invited to participate at the ceremony," the release said. The dignitaries included UASC chairman His Excellency Sheikh Ali and the vice chairman of the board Othman Ibrahim Al-Issa, who named the vessel.