JEDDAH — In its first visit to the Kingdom, MSC MINA, one of the world's largest container ships, on Sunday has docked at King Abdullah Port in Rabigh. The docking occurred amidst a warm welcome in the presence of several officials at the port with the capability to receive the largest vessels in the world. The MSC MINA has a capacity of 23,656 TEUs and features a length of 400 meters, a breadth of 61 meters, and a draft of 16.5 meters. In regards to container storage, MSC MINA can accommodate 24 rows of containers, with a height of 13 containers per row. Classified among the MSC Megamax-24 category, the largest category of container vessels in the world, the MSC MINA helps reduce fuel consumption on the container level and therefore helps reduce overall transport costs and carbon dioxide emissions. The port recently announced the completion of the largest trade operation of its kind in the Kingdom with the receipt of 28 of the world's latest Liebherr cranes as part of the new phase of the container terminal expansion project. Run by the Ports Development Company, King Abdullah Port is the region's first port to be fully owned, developed and operated by the private sector. It has been listed as the fastest-growing container port and one of the world's 100 largest ports after less than four years of operation. Ten of the largest shipping lines work at the port to offer integrated services to importers and exporters. King Abdullah Port is characterized by its powerful, state-of-the-art infrastructure and the world's deepest 18-meter water berths. It is equipped with the world's largest and most advanced cranes, utilizing latest technologies and features a lifting capacity of up to 65 ton. It can handle 25 containers, thereby enabling the port to serve mega container vessels now and in the future.
