Hatsu’s First 7,024-TEU ship launched

HatsuÆs First 7,024-TEU ship launched    Mitsubishi Shipyards launched today “Hatsu Shine” the first in a series of 10 7,024-TEU “S-type” containerships being built for Hatsu Marine Ltd.
   Hatsu Marine is a subsidiary of the Evergreen Group, which is taking delivery of 18 post-Panamax containerships from 2005 to 2008, including 10 “S-type” and eight 8,000-TEU “C-type” vessels.
   All the “S-class” vessels will have an overall length of 300 meters (984 feet) and a beam of 42.8 meters (140 feet), able to carry containers 17 rows across on deck and 15 rows across below deck. They will all have 839 reefer plugs for carriage of temperature-controlled containers. The ships will have a deadweight of 78,200 tons and a single 10-cylinder Mitsubishi Sulzer 10RTA96C main engine developing 74,700bhp (54,900KW) giving a service speed of 25.3 knots.
   The “Hatsu Shine” is due to be delivered to Hatsu in September and will be deployed in the Asia/Europe trade thereafter.
   Hatsu owns seven U.K. flag ships, five of which are 6,332-TEU “E-class” vessels that operate between Asia and the West Coast of North America while the others are 1,618-TEU “P-class” vessels currently deployed in the intra-Asia market.