A new 250m container ship will run with just a crew of nine
Boaters
who say they need help to run their boats should consider themselves lucky – a
huge new container ship that has just entered service is expected to be
operated by a total complement of just nine men. The 61,000-tonne Safmarine
Chilka is the first of a series of so-called WAFMAX (West Africa Maximum) ships
built for Danish container giant A.P Moller-Maersk.
The
captain and his crew will spend much of their time at sea ensuring that the
249m long vessel – that’s an equivalent of over 27m per man – is navigated
safely. They will also need to ensure it is properly maintained and that its
36,000 horsepower diesel engine runs smoothly, so each crewman will welcome the
chance to relax in his own well-appointed cabin.
Safmarine
Chilka has been purpose-built for the trade with Africa and has been deployed
on Moller-Maersk’s Safmarine Line between the Far East and Africa.
