Hefty customer for APM Terminals in Costa Rica
In Costa Rica, ultra large container vessels also take their toll. The APM Terminals in Moín recently handled the “MSC Sara Elena”, the largest container ship ever to berth in Costa Rica, measuring 300 m long and holding a capacity of 8,000 teu.
In 337 lifts, cargoes of key Costa Rican exports, including pineapples and bananas, were loaded onto the “Sara Elena” destined for Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The vessel was in the port for just under nine hours, including the obligatory first call celebrations. Equipped with six Super-Post Panamax cranes and two berths with a draft of 14.5 m, the terminal is currently capable of handling container ships of up to 8,500 teu.
Upon the completion of the running enlargement project’s final phase, the facility will double its current area of 400,000 sqm, with five berths, and be capable of handling vessels of up to 13,000 teu. This is also the largest size of vessels capable of passing through the Panama Canal locks. (fd)