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Swire Shipping strengthens Asia operations with newbuild vessel

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Swire Shipping has strengthened its operations in Asia with the deployment of a newbuild 2,400-teu vessel onto the Southeast Asia to Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands route.

The MV Changsha is part of the company’s wider orderbook of eight feeder container vessels scheduled for delivery in 2020. The eight vessels include four 2,400 teu and four 2,750 teu ships.

The modern 2,400-teu feeder vessel, built at CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding, boasts features including three 45 metres uprated cranes, non-containerised cargo capability, pontoon weather tight hatch covers, and innovative hull form design for fuel efficiency.

Jeremy Sutton, general manager of Swire Shipping, recognised that the global supply chains must remain operational in light of the coronavirus global outbreak, and the deployment of MV Changsha can contribute to maintaining supply chain runs.

“Like many other companies, we are very concerned about the global situation over COVID-19. However, we are also cognisant that vital supply chains must remain open with as little disruption as possible. The economies and livelihoods of the Pacific region are heavily reliant on seaborne trade. The addition of MV Changsha and the remaining newbuilding vessels will enable us to achieve this and show our long term commitment to our customers and the region,” said Sutton.

The eight new feeder vessels will join Swire Shipping’s fleet comprising of eight 31,000 dwt multipurpose vessels and four 22,000 dwt multipurpose vessels, delivered between 2013 and 2015.