[240716.EN.BIZ] Boston Docks Its Biggest Ship Yet - 8,530-TEU Xin Mei Zhou

COSCO-China Shipping's (COCOCS) 8,530-TEU Xin Mei Zhou, the biggest ship to call at Boston Harbour successfully docked at the Conley terminal, reported the American Journal of Transportation, of Plymouth, Massachusetts.

"This is an exciting time as we have seen double digit growth in both imports and exports this year," said Massport's port director Lisa Wieland. "Having calls by larger ships is the future, and the port is working to accommodate them."

Conley now services 4,000 to 6,000-TEUers, but with the opening of the expanded Panama Canal, COSCOCS and its CKYHE Alliance plans to send 8,500-TEUers from Asia to the US east coast.

The need for a new berth, landside improvements and harbour dredging are all being addressed by the Massachusetts Congressional delegation, the Commonwealth, Massport, and the US Army Corps of Engineers.

Massport was recently told it would receive US$42 million as part of the US Department of Transportation's FASTLANE grant programme to be used to upgrade existing facilities at Conley.

Massport could also get $107 million in state funding from the economic development bill that funding would go towards the building of a new berth and bigger cranes to handle bigger ships carrying more cargo.

Source : HKSG.