German shipping group Hamburg Süd has christened the latest in a series of 5,900 TEU container vessels, the largest in the group's fleet, at a ceremony at Burchardkai in the Port of Hamburg.
The Rio Blanco is the fourth new ship in a series of six to be christened, with the vessel operating in the group's Europe-South America East coast service, where it has been deployed since June this year.
By the end of the year, the remaining two new vessels in the series – the Rio Bravo and the Rio Madeira – will also have been phased into the service, replacing the 5,500 TEU Monte ships. The Monte vessels will move to operate on the group's Asia-South Africa/South America East Coast service.
The naming ceremony for the Rio Blanco was performed by Nina-Maria Oetker, wife of August Oetker, chairman of the advisory board at Hamburg Süd.
