MSC Michel Cappellini with 24,346 TEUs capacity named in Bremerhaven

More than 800 guests gathered on July 17, 2023 at the MSC Gate Terminal in Bremerhaven to witness the naming ceremony of the latest edition to Mediterranean Shipping Company’s (MSC) fleet MSC Michel Cappellini with the ship as the backdrop.

"Prior to the naming ceremony, MSC signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Free and Hanseatic Cities of Bremen and Hamburg and their ports, agreeing on the use of shore power for MSC’s vessels in both ports," says a release from MSC.

MSC Michel Cappellini is one of the world’s largest and most fuel-efficient container ships by design. At 400 metres in length and with a 61.5 metre beam, it has a capacity of up to 24,346 TEUs. "Despite her size, her design and technical specifications enable the shipment of more cargo at the lowest carbon footprint per container carried."

MSC Michel Cappellini and her sister ships are also built with an air lubrication system to reduce drag on the hull as well as shaft generators to yield additional power, the release added.

“The ports in Bremen are such an important cargo hub for us in Germany and in Northwest Europe," says Soren Toft, CEO, MSC. "It is truly a strategic location for MSC, and home to over 370 of our colleagues. However, our connection with Germany goes deeper than trade. This is the third naming ceremony of an MSC vessel since 2015, and the second in Bremerhaven. It is therefore by no surprise that we continue to grow with our customers in Germany.

“Efficiency and innovation are two drivers that led to the development of the MSC Michel Cappellini. Through innovation, we seek to shift the boundaries of what is possible and surpass our own industry-breaking milestones, a process of continuous evolution. As a family company and as the leader of our industry, we are very mindful of MSC’s key role in decarbonising the logistics value chain, and the benchmark we set for others in our industry.”

The ship’s blessing was conducted by Provost Bernhard Stecker, who has led the Catholic Community Association Bremen since 2019. After the blessing, Godmother Cindy-Jo Cappellini performed the christening of the ship by cutting the ribbon and smashing a bottle of champagne against the hull, the release added.

Kai Stuehrenberg, State Secretary for Economic Affairs, Free Hanseatic City of Bremen, Andreas Dressel, Senator for Finance, Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg and Toft met for the signing of the MoU, agreeing on the use of shore power for MSC container vessels in both ports.

“I am proud that we signed a MoU between MSC, the Free and Hanseatic Cities of Bremen and Hamburg and their port administrations to partner and collaborate on the implementation of shore power taking us one step closer to ensuring a decarbonised supply chain for global trade," says Toft.

Nils Kahn, Managing Director, Germany, MSC called on the German authorities in Berlin to ensure closer collaboration between German ports on the topic of infrastructure development.