CMA CGM BENJAMIN FRANKLIN Gets Hollywood Welcome
On Boxing Day, Los Angeles officials welcomed the largest container ship to visit a North American port with a floating press conference.
The Mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti, the Captain of the new ship, members of Congress, City Councillors, President of CMA CGM American operations, Port Director, Terminal Director, Labour leaders and others, as well as journalists, photographers and TV stations all gathered in front of the massive CMA CGM BEN FRANKLIN in a floating press conference, on board the twin hulled TRIUMPHANT at APM Terminal in the port of Los Anegles on December 26th.
The French shipping company’s CMA CGM BEN FRANKLIN had arrived before dawn from Busan, Korea, having been delivered in November. Registered in London, the vessel is 1,300 ft. long, 177 ft. wide and 197 ft. high carrying an 18,000-TEU capacity vessel, and the sixth ship in her class, all built in China. Until now these ULCV (Ultra Large Container Vessels) have been employed exclusively on route from Asia to Northern Europe.
The gigantic vessel is also model for high-energy production. Her 78 ft. length engine room contains a last generation engine as powerful as 900 Ford Focus cars and her 21 knots thrust is equivalent to that of 11 Boeing 747-400 engines (3,000 KNewton).
With a crew of only 27 members, the ship runs its own its waste recycle system, has a chef, and a swimming pool.
Marc Bourdon, president of CMA CGM American operations, said the Marseilles-based company has operated in the US since 1995, and employs more than 900 people. The company is the third largest carrier in the United States as well as globally.
“The question keeps coming back on whether U.S. port infrastructure is actually ready for this size of vessels,” Bourdon said. “Well, they are not exactly quite ready yet. Some ports are ready. The reality is a ship like this will not be able to get deployed on a permanent basis until more ports are ready to accommodate them.”
While the CMA CGM BENJAMIN FRANKLIN arrived in Los Angeles carrying shipping containers stacked seven high, at full capacity the ship is designed to stack 10 containers high. Needed improvements to APM Terminal cranes will allow for the full load by the end of 2016, he said.
The ship will sail on Wednesday for a December 31, Oakland CA visit before returning to Shanghai, China.
Thanks to Phillip Sanfield, Port of Los Angeles and Mayor of Los Angeles Eric Garcetti
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Great story Martin. It is interesting to note the origin of CMA CGM which includes some of France’s greatest shipping lines i.e. Messageries Maritimes, Compagnie Générale Transatlantique (French Line), Delmas and Chargeurs Reunis.
Another fascinating article that keeps me coming back to this website! If I ever won a contest and it was for lunch with you or Carnival architect Joe Farcus, I’d have a tough time choosing! Actually I just made my mind up. It’d be Farcus. But I’d figure out a way to have dinner with you instead, preferably on board a classic cruise ship!
Thank you Charlie – (Are you the voice of the New York subway?)
Cheers Peter – I think that would be a great story to tell.
Ever the researcher, aren’t you! “Stand Clear of the Next Comment Posted, Please!”
This was an amazing spectacle to look at. The cargo ship was huge, as big as the Empire State Building.
I remember that day vividly, the amount of containers that the ship holds in unreal and unfathomable to think about. Cheers greatly.
Thanks Nathan, cheers – Martin