The Port of Wilmington in Delaware welcomed on 24 February 2011 the arrival of Seatrade’s newest vessel, the m/v Atlantic Klipper, on her maiden voyage to the US.
On its call, the Atlantic Klipper discharged more than 7,700 pallets of table grapes and stonefruit for distribution throughout North America, according to a press release from the Diamond State Port Corporation (DSPC) – the owner and operator of the Port of Wilmington.
“We congratulate Seatrade on the recent addition of m/v Atlantic Klipper to its reefer fleet,” said Gene Bailey, Diamond State Port Corporation’s executive director.
“Seatrade’s continued investment in growing their fleet underscores its commitment of service to their customers and to leadership in the very sophisticated transport of high value, perishable cargo on trade lanes throughout the world.”
Seatrade, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2011, is the world’s largest operator of refrigerated (reefer) vessels and, specialises in the carriage of perishable cargo.
Pacific Seaways, a Santiago, Chile based consortium of growers and exporters, has chartered the Atlantic Klipper and several other Seatrade ships to maintain a scheduled service to load Chilean fruit (at the ports of Caldera, Coquimbo and Valparaiso) for delivery to the Port of Wilmington from December through April.
The Port of Wilmington’s maritime community celebrated m/v Atlantic Klipper’s maiden voyage to the US with a plaque presentation ceremony onboard.
The ship was delivered on 4 January 2011 at Kitanihon Shipbuilding in Hachinohe City, Japan, and christened on 4 February 2011 in Valparaíso, Chile.
The vessel measures 165m (541.3ft) and can carry 5,400 pallets under-deck and 247 forty-foot long shipping containers on deck, of which 200 can be refrigerated when powered up by special electrical connections installed onboard.
