A containership tying the record for the largest to visit Jacksonville arrived at JaxPort this week, the Jacksonville Port Authority announced.
The ZIM USA has a cargo capacity of 11,923 TEU and is one of four new ships replacing smaller vessels in ZIM’s weekly container service, according to a JaxPort news release.
The ZIM USA is one of two 11,700-TEU and two 11,923-TEU ships to be included in a regular JaxPort rotation, replacing smaller vessels.
The recently completed 47-foot harbor deepening project provides the water draft needed for these larger vessels to call the port regularly, the release said. A TEU is derived from the dimensions of a 20-foot shipping container.
“We are thrilled that the recent investment in the harbor deepening project has so quickly created opportunities for larger vessels to serve the port, Florida, and the nation,” said Jared W. Perdue, Florida secretary of transportation.
ZIM is one of the world’s largest container shipping lines.