The Mumbai Maersk has set a new record for the deepest draft vessel to call at Hutchison Ports Port of Felixstowe in the UK.

The 20,568 TEU capacity ship arrived on 11 November from Bremerhaven with a draft of 16.8 metres and sailed 24 hours later with a draft of 17.0 metres.

The record was set just four weeks after the UK's largest container port announced the completion of a £130m project to deepen the approaches to the port and its main container berths. The depth of the approach channel was increased from 14.5 metres to 16.0 metres and Berths 8&9 increased from 16.0 metres to 18.0 metres below chart datum.

Commenting on the improvements, Robert Ashton, Chief Operating Officer at the Port of Felixstowe, said: "There has been a steady increase in recent years in the number of the latest generation of mega-vessels serving the main shipping route into Europe. The Port of Felixstowe is the best located UK port for these huge ships and, working with our partners at Harwich Haven Authority, we deepened the main approach channel and Berths 8&9 to cement further that advantage. The deeper channel provides a level of access matched nowhere else in the country. It not only allows deeper vessels to call but also more ultra-large ships to be handled on each tide. With a short channel, close to the pilot station and ports of North Europe it is better for service, cutting emissions and reducing costs."

The Mumbai Maersk operates on Maersk Line’s AE10 service between Europe and Asia.

Photo: Mumbai Maersk in Felixstowe.