On 16 May 2002, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries launched Hatsu Elite,
the fourth in a series of five 6332TEU E-type container vessels
that it is building for Hatsu Marine Ltd, London. Due for delivery
in September 2002, she will fly the UK flag.
The vessel was named by Evergreen Group Chairman, Dr Y F Chang, while Mrs Linda Storey, wife of the Chief Executive of the UK's Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Mr Maurice Storey, cut the ceremonial rope sending the ship down the slipway and into the water for the first time.
Hatsu Marine was established on 4 January, 2002. By the end of this year, it is planned that it will be offering shippers a global container service embracing Asia, North America and Europe.
Mr Storey has been closely involved with the formation of Hatsu Marine,
responding personally when Evergreen first sought advice regarding its
formation of a UK registered shipping company. Speaking after the launch,
he complimented Evergreen on the professional way it had set about establishing
its UK affiliate:
"The officers so far assigned to these new
post-Panamax ships have all obtained full UK certificates after undergoing
instruction at the Evergreen Seafarer Training Centre in Taiwan. Further
officers are now undergoing refresher training prior to sitting for
their UK licences.
"The Training Centre is, quite honestly, one of the finest establishments I have visited and it is quite remarkable that it has been established by a private shipowner rather than a maritime college. Crews on ships are trained to the highest standards."
The five Hatsu E-type vessels will all be deployed in the transpacific trades linking North America and Asia. Later this year, Hatsu will commence services linking Asia and North Europe and North Europe and North America. However, no specific dates have yet been attached to these plans.
Hatsu Elite and her sisterships have an overall
length of 300 metres and a beam of 42.8 metres. They are able to carry
containers 17-abreast on deck, 15-wide below deck and have a deadweight
of 76,000 tonnes on a service draft of 13.5 meters. Each vessel has
a single 12-cylinder Mitsubishi Sulzer RTA84C main engine developing
66,120bhp (48,600KW) to provide for a service speed of 25 knots.
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