CANMAR, OOCL ORDER 4,100-TEU SHIPS FOR MONTREAL SERVICE

CANMAR, OOCL ORDER 4,100-TEU SHIPS FOR MONTREAL SERVICE    Canada Maritime and Orient Overseas Container Line have ordered three containerships each with a nominal capacity of 4,100-TEU for deployment on their Montreal/northern Europe service.
   Described as having an effective loading capacity of 3,500 TEUs, the vessels will be delivered in 2003 and will be the largest to call at the Montreal gateway. Currently, the biggest ships operated by Canada Maritime and OOCL can each carry 2,800 TEUs.
   The ships will be deployed on Route 2 of the St. Lawrence Co-ordinated Service consortium of Canada Maritime and OOCL. The two shipping lines have contracted with Daewoo Shipbuilding and Heavy Machinery of South Korea to construct the three ice-strengthened containerships.
   Two vessels of the sisterships will be owned by Canada Maritime and one by OOCL. They will be 294-meter-long and 32.2-meter-wide, with a draft of 10.78 meters.
   In a joint statement, Canada Maritime and OOCL said that the move to 4,100-TEU vessels will enable them to meet an anticipated growth in trade over the next decade, while still keeping within the St. Lawrence’s fluctuating draft limitations.
   “Further details regarding the design of the new ships and the redeployment of the existing ships they will replace will be provided by the lines in due course,” Canada Maritime and OOCL said.
   Cast and Hapag-Lloyd take space on the joint service of Canada Maritime and OOCL.