A. P. Møller-Mærsk is about to take delivery of the first container carrier in a series of 22 so-called Wafmax type. Wafmax is short form for West Africa Max, which is a new type designed to be the maximum size for ports in West Africa. The need for this type of vessel comes as a result of growing trade between especially Asia and Africa. So instead of transshipping the containers in the hub in the Mediterranean (Algeciras and Tangiers) the Wafmax vessels will make direct calls in Africa. The 267 metre long and 53,280 DWT container vessel is equipped with its own cranes. Madam Liang Zhi Ling, wife of Le Hong Bing, President of High Goal Logistics, Guangzhou, who gave the vessel the name Maersk Conakry after the capital city of Guinea, named the first vessel recently in Ulsan, South Korea.
“The Wafmax vessels and their greater capacity and energy efficiency support us in extending our commitments in these important markets in Africa”, says Hanne Sørensen, COO, Maersk line in a statement.
The Maersk Conakry, hull no. 2338 from Hyundai Heavy Industries, is powered by a MAN diesel type 6S80ME-C9 giving a service speed of 24.1 knots. The vessel has a beam of 37.4 metres and a draft of 13.5 m. It has a capacity of 4,500 TEUs of which 150 can be reefer containers.
