Big ships test waters at Middle East ports

Big ships test waters at Middle East ports Two Middle East ports last week saw record-setting vessels call last week, according to AXS-Alphaliner’s weekly newsletter.
   It’s perhaps a sign that lines want to diversify their options in the region away from Jebel Ali in Dubai.
   The Khorfakkan Container Terminal in Sharjah, a state in the U.A.E, saw the 9,661-TEU CMA CGM Orfeo make a test call at the port. It’s the biggest ever ship to call at the port, operated by Gulftainer. According to AXS-Alphaliner, the ship is employed in CMA CGM's and China Shipping’s joint FAL 4/AEX 8 service, which generally does not call at any Middle East port. But Khorfakkan serves as a regional hub for CMA CGM.
   Meanwhile, the Port of Sohar in Oman saw the 8,468-TEU MSC Baltic make a 24-hour call to discharge a container load of around 3,000 TEUs. That was the largest vessel ever to call at the port.
   “The ship trades in MSC's Asia-Med ‘Dragon’ service, a loop that usually bypasses Sohar and only features Middle East calls at Jeddah, Salalah and Jebel Ali,” the newsletter said. “MSC Baltic's one-off visit was the latest in a succession of 'trial' calls by MSC ships as the line reportedly assesses Sohar's potential as a transshipment port with regular mainline calls.”
   Salalah has traditionally been Oman’s biggest port and transshipment hub.