K Line Takes Over First of Five 14,000 TEU Newbuilds

zoom Japanese shipping company Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line) has taken delivery of the Millau Bridge, the first of five 14,000 TEU vessels ordered in 2013, at Imabari Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. Hiroshima Shipyard. The containership will be deployed on the Asia-Europe service (NE2) under the CKYHE Alliance. The CKYHE Alliance is membered by COSCO, K Line, Yang Ming, Hanjin Shipping, and Evergreen Line. The NE2 service will be upsized following the delivery of the companys remaining 4 vessels along with alliance partners’ similar-sized vessels, K Line said. K Line has already placed an order of 5 more 14,000 TEU vessels at Imabari Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. which are due to be delivered in 2018. Once delivered the companys Ultra Large Container Vessel (ULCV) fleet will have 10 units in total.