"P&O Nedlloyd Shackleton", one of the largest containerships in the world, will make its maiden call at Northport in Port Klang in early May, adding another milestone to the growing attraction of Port Klang as a major regional transhipment hub and affirming its ability to handle the largest containerships afloat.

The event which marks a major commitment by the Anglo-Dutch shipping line to Malaysia's premier port, will be graced by the Minister of Transport, Dato' Seri Dr. Ling Liong Sik, as well as the High Commissioner of the United Kingdom, Mr.Graham Fry, and the Ambassador of the Netherlands, Mr. Conrad van Tooren and more than 60 invited guests.

With a length of 299.9 metres and a capacity of 6,802 TEU, "the P&O Nedlloyd Shackleton" is one of the largest containerships in the world with a service speed of 24.5 knots. She will be deployed in the Grand Alliance's Europe-Far East Service and will sail under the British flag.

Three other sister vessels of similar 6,802 TEU capacity, "P&O Nedlloyd Stuyvesant", "P&O Nedlloyd Houtman", and "P&O Nedlloyd Cook" being delivered this year, will also call Port Klang in the Europe-Far East Service. 

These four newbuildings of the Whale Class, with four others of the Southampton Class, brings the total to eight vessels over 6,000 TEU in the P&O Nedlloyd fleet of more than 120 vessels.

Commenting on the forthcoming maiden call of the largest containership to call at Port Klang, P&O Nedlloyd Malaysia Managing Director, Mr. Patrick Lim Keng Lee said: "The deployment of the largest containerships of the 6,802 TEU class in the P&O Nedlloyd fleet to Port Klang represent a natural progression to the steps taken last year when P&O Nedlloyd deployed a record 8 newbuildings of the 5,500 TEU "P&O Nedlloyd Hudson" class to Port Klang in various Asia-Europe Services in the Grand Alliance.

He further added: With the trend of containerships size growing larger and larger, for Port Klang to remain in the forefront of world ports, the access channels and terminals must be able to accomodate deeper drafts, whilst at the same time terminals must be market driven and act pro-actively in providing handling facilities such as faster cranes with longer outreach, to ensure efficiency, productivity and cost efficient services as well as responsive port and terminal tariffs.