Post-Panamax ro/ro arrives at Port of Tacoma

The Thalatta, a roll-on/roll-off vessel with a capacity for up to 8,000 vehicles, docked at the port Tuesday at the East Blair One terminal after sailing through the widened Panama Canal.    Most news about the impact of the recent expansion of the Panama Canal has focused on eastbound container vessels from Asia to the U.S. East Coast through the canal, but the arrival of a massive car carrier on the U.S. West Coast is a reminder that bigger ships going westbound are also taking advantage of the waterway’s wider locks.
   A new Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics (WWL) roll-on/roll off vessel, the Thalatta, with a capacity of up to 8,000 vehicles and a much wider bottom than traditional car transports, docked Tuesday at the Port of Tacoma’s East Blair One terminal, which is dedicated to handling breakbulk and vehicles.
   Last Friday, the Thalatta called Port Hueneme in California.
   Larger vessels connecting Europe, the Mediterranean and the East Coast of South America will also be able to use the Panama Canal now to reach the West Coast of South America, North America and Asia.
   WWL’s Thalatta is the second of eight HERO-class vessels ordered by the company to increase operational efficiency and reduce emissions. The vessel features five decks that can be lifted to allow for multiple configurations and a wide variety of cargo. A shallower draft gives these ships access to many ports.