Thames gets its largest visitor
The largest ship to traverse the Thames River in the UK has made its first call at DP World London Gateway with a little help from the might of the river’s tug operators.
A Svitzer tug was charged with guiding the 397m Edith Maersk alongside the berth as well as for its departure, with a Kotug waiting in standby if the wind picked up.
The 56m wide Edith Maersk containership has a draft of 16m and can carry up to 15,500 standard containers.
DP World London Gateway will mark its first anniversary in November. Since the first scheduled ship call by the MOL Caledon marked the official opening on 7 November 2013, the port has welcomed a series of new shipping services and continued to develop new berths and facilities.
It has also provided a sheltered ‘haven’ during last winter’s storms, with a series of large containerships diverting to the port when others were forced to close, helping to keep the UK supplied with goods and commercial operators busy.
By Anne-Marie Causer
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