Biggest container vessel at Long Beach

The ship, which previously served Asia to Europe trade routes, was making its maiden voyage in the trans-Pacific trade having journeyed from the Port of Yantian in China.

It is the first of what is expected to be a string of larger container ships to be deployed by ocean carriers in Pacific Rim routes. Currently, the larger container ships typically serving Asia and North America have capacities of about 8,000 teu.

The MSC Fabiola was built in 2010 and is operated by the Geneva based Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A. It can reach speeds of up to 24 knots.

Larger ships are more cost effective for ocean carriers and reduce impact on the environment by decreasing diesel consumption. However, few ports in the world have navigation channels deep enough to handle these huge ships. The Port of Long Beach’s main channel is 76 feet deep, the deepest in North America, however.