Two firsts were achieved during recent days, with the arrival of the ULCC Hyundai Drive – it was this the first time ever that a Hyundai Merchant Marine operated vessel has called at LSCT and the first call by a ship deployed on the Asia-Europe Loop M (EUM) by the G6 Alliance (APL, Hapag-Lloyd, HMM, MOL, NYK and OOCL) and it all happened on the first day of October!
The maiden call of the Hyundai Drive will enable the Korean shipping line and other global shipping lines within the partnership to improve their own inland penetration and connectivity with the main cargo generation regions of northern and central Italy. Furthermore, it will offer more choice and maintain the portfolio of Asia-Mediterranean services using La Spezia Container Terminal, which is good news for the Italian supply-chain which is now served by all the major alliances and global shipping lines through LSCT.
The Hyundai Drive, with a capacity of 13,154 teus, was built in June 2014 and comes in at over 365m long, with a GRT of 142,000tns. The ship completed operations without incident and sailed on time to her next port of call. Pictured is Roberto Scotto, Director Customer Services who was on hand to give a warm welcome for the HMM maiden call and meet Captain Lee Chang In for the traditional crest presentation.
Adding his personal welcome, Michele Giromini, Managing Director, comments “The industry has recently experienced some challenges but the first time arrival of this ULCC operated by Hyundai Merchant Marine provides some positive news of continuity for the supply chains using La Spezia Container Terminal. HMM, together with its partner lines are returning to LSCT, where now the terminal and more importantly, the efficiency of inland connections have changed beyond recognition, a fact evidenced by the on-going demand encouraging not only shipping lines to call at La Spezia but also the importers and exporters, to have an increasing level of confidence that the system is working well”.
Would you like to discover more about LSCT connectivity? Check out the new connectivity tool:
