Over  the  weekend,  Malta  Freeport  Terminals  (MFT),  the  private  operator  of  the  Freeport  facilities, carried out a record number of moves on CMA CGM’s Erving.  This 13,000 TEU vessel, with an overall length of 366m, a beam of 48.2m and a gross tonnage of 141,649 was berthed on the newly-extended Terminal Two North Quay. The operation was a very intensive one, with six Quayside Cranes being deployed. MFT handled an impressive 6,101 containers, 297 discharged and 5,804 loaded representing the highest volume of moves ever handled on a single vessel at the Freeport. As the figures indicate, the operation was mainly focused on loading of empty containers destined to Far Eastern ports. The same containers will then be filled with export material from China back to the Mediterranean and North Europe.

The CMA CGM Erving calls regularly as part of the MEX1/AE11 service operated jointly by CMA CGM,(the third largest shipping line in the world) and Maersk (The largest shipping line in the world).  The vessel’s previous port of call was Fos-Sur-Le Mar France and after operations at Malta Freeport it proceeded towards the Far East.  

Simultaneously, to CMA CGM Erving, MFT also opearted another two large container vessels, the  Maersk Edison with over 3,000 container moves and Maersk Savannah also with over 3,000 container moves. This has led to a record number of moves to be handled at Malta Freeport over a span of two days.

Alex Montebello, Director Operations commented “The operations carried out on three large  mainline vessels simultaneously, with such unprecedented number of container moves, confirm  Malta Freeport’s status of a Mega Hub in the Med. The investment undertaken over the past few years in infrastructure and equipment permit Malta Freeport to provide Clients the required facilities for berthing and operating these size of vessels. Undoubtedly, such results could not have been attained without the full commitment and dedication shown by all the personnel involved in this activity.”