The vessel is part of Evergreen Line’s North East Asia – South East Asia Service (NSC), following a port rotation of Tokyo-Yokohama-Shimizu-Yokkaichi-Nagoya-Taichung- Kaohsiung-Gaolan-Hong Kong-Ho Chi Minh.

Welcoming the vessel, Ronald Wan, General Manager of ZICT (G) said, “With Evergreen Line’s NSC service, import cargo from Japan and Taiwan can be shipped to Gaolan directly. At the same time, it opens another new channel for export cargo to Vietnam from ZICT (G). It is good news for both shippers and consignees in the western Pearl River Delta region.”

The NSC service came to ZICT (G) after the maiden call of Golden Star Line’s Haiphong Shuttle Express (HSX) in early December.

PCHS, the port operations arm of the Nigerian Sifax Group, is a major player in port operations and related services in West Africa.

The RTGs were ordered at the end of last year and delivered on time to the company’s terminal in Tin Can Island Port. The RTGs are equipped with the new Konecranes cabin offering improved ergonomics and visibility.

“Sifax Group is satisfied with our delivery performance, and we are pleased to support their business growth with our RTG technology and delivery professionalism,” says Antoine Bosquet, Konecranes Sales Director, Port Cranes, region WEMEA.

The RTGs are also equipped with the latest DGPS-assisted technology for container yards including Autosteering. This feature keeps the RTG on a pre-programmed, straight driving path without driver intervention, improving safety and increasing productivity. A container positioning system is also included. It is connected to the port’s terminal operating system ensuring correct, real-time container positioning and an accurate inventory. The all-electric, 16-wheel RTGs have a lifting capacity of 50 tons stacking 1-over-5 containers high and 7 plus truck lane wide.

The arrival of the vessel signals an increase in foreign trade services calling at ZICT (G).

Ronald Wan, General Manager of ZICT(G), commenting on the new maiden call, said, ” Gold Star Line’s HSX service provides direct weekly connections from ZICT(G) to Haiphong, giving shippers in the western Pearl River Delta a cost competitive option for their export cargo to Vietnam.”

The HSX service has a port rotation of Haiphong-Fangcheng-Gaolan-Dachan-Hong Kong. 

ZICT (G) is the only natural deep-water port in the western Pearl River Delta capable of handling mega-vessels. It has excellent transport links to areas along the Xijiang River and the Beibu Gulf of Guangxi. The terminal serves the western Pearl River Delta hinterlands through intermodal transportation networks. It is equipped with Super Post-Panamax quay cranes and environmentally-friendly electric rubber-tyred gantry cranes (eRTGC) managed by a modern terminal management system.

Measuring 54m wide and 396m long, she is 51m larger than Queen Mary 2, the superliner regular at Southampton and nearly 100 times bigger than your average car

A UK registered vessel, the Marco Polo has a capacity for 16,020 TEU (twenty foot-equivalent units), the industry measurement used for calculating the number of container boxes on board that carry goods around the world.  The Marco Polo will be delivering goods and cargo destined for UK businesses and shops, with many gifts, just in time for Christmas.

She is expected to berth at the city’s container terminal, which is operated by DP World Southampton, at approximately 9.00am on Sunday and depart from 3pm on Monday 10 December.