Senator Lines to phase in larger, faster box ship on MCS
SENATOR Lines says it plans to phase in a new vessel on its two-sling Mediterranean-Canada service, called MCS.
The recently chartered Montreal Senator will replace the Canada Senator currently running on the service that links a number of Mediterranean ports with Montreal.
The phasing in of the 2,130-TEU Montreal Senator will take place on May 21 at the Italian port of Gioia Tauro. The 2,017-TEU Canada Senator, which has been serving the Mediterranean-Canada trade since April 2001, will then be phased out, a company statement said.
The new vessel has been chartered for a period of initially two years. "The increased vessel size of 2,130 TEU and the better speed capability of 20 knots will increase the service quality of our MED-Canada service," said Mark Ehlers, director of Operational Management at Senator Lines.
"The Canada Senator at present features a maximum speed of 18.5 knots. Thus by replacing the vessel by the slightly bigger and remarkably speedier Montreal Senator we are a lot more flexible in our transit times and berthing windows," he said.
The port rotation of the MCS string known as Loop A is Gioia Tauro, Salerno, Genoa, Fos, Montreal, Gioia Tauro.
The first Montreal call of the new Senator Lines vessel will be on June 5.