CAT ADDS FIRST OF SIX 3,800-TEU SHIPS TO SOUTH AMERICA SERVICE

CAT ADDS FIRST OF SIX 3,800-TEU SHIPS TO SOUTH AMERICA SERVICE    Crowley American Transport, a unit of Hamburg Sud shipping group, said it added the “Cap San Marco,” the first of six new 3,800-TEU ships, to its service between the east coasts of the United States and South America.
   The new vessel, the largest in the trade, called at Philadelphia Monday. Its maiden voyage will take it from Philadelphia to New York, Norfolk, Charleston, Jacksonville, Miami, Porto Cabello, Suape, Santos and Paranagua to Buenos Aires and back via Rio Grande, Santos, Rio de Janeiro and Port Cabello, back to Philadelphia.
   Four additional new ships, the “Cap San Nicolas,” “Cap San Lorenzo,” “Cap San Augustin” and “Cap San Antonio,” will be deployed in consecutive weeks in September. The six vessel will be commissioned in February.
   Crowley American Transport said the deployment of these larger ships will not impact the capacity on the trade. Eleven smaller container vessels will be withdrawn simultaneously, leaving the total capacity unchanged.
   The 50,200 deadweight-ton “Cap San Marco” is outfitted with space for 800 TEUs of refrigerated containers, has a speed of 22.5 knots, and is equipped with two cranes.