Khorfakkan Port receives one of world’s largest container ships
24,346-TEU vessel underscores port’s ability to handle ultra-large container vessels
Dubai: Khorfakkan Port has received MSC MARIELLA, an ultra-large container vessel capable of carrying 24,346 twenty-foot equivalent units, putting the Sharjah port’s ability to handle some of the biggest ships operating on global trade routes into focus.
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Operated by Mediterranean Shipping Company, the vessel measures around 400 metres in length and more than 61 metres in width, placing it among a select group of the world’s largest container ships currently in service.
Built to handle mega vessels
Khorfakkan Port’s container terminal has six berths with a combined length of around 1,880 metres and a draught of up to 16 metres.
The terminal is equipped with 18 ship-to-shore container cranes, together with storage and handling yards used to manage large volumes of cargo moving through the port.
Gulftainer operates the container terminal at Khorfakkan Port, with services covering container handling, storage, customs clearance, road transport and refrigerated cargo.
The terminal operates around the clock, allowing shipping lines and cargo owners to move containers between vessels, storage areas and inland destinations without depending on limited operating windows.
Direct access to major shipping routes
Khorfakkan’s location on the UAE’s eastern coast gives vessels direct access to the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean, putting the port close to trade routes connecting Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, the Arabian Gulf and East Africa.
Cargo arriving at the port can also be moved into the UAE through the road network and linked logistics facilities, including the Al Sajaa and Al Dhaid logistics complexes.
The wider network connects seaports with storage, distribution centres and inland markets, supporting cargo movements through Sharjah and into regional markets.
Expansion remains in progress
The latest vessel call comes while previously announced development plans for Khorfakkan Port continue.
The Sharjah Ports, Customs and Free Zones Authority has earlier said annual handling capacity is planned to increase from 3.5 million TEUs to 5 million TEUs, followed by phased expansion to 7 million and eventually 10 million TEUs.
The arrival of MSC MARIELLA provides a current indication of the size of vessel the port can already accommodate while those longer-term expansion plans progress.
The Sharjah Ports, Customs and Free Zones Authority said calls by mega container vessels reflect confidence from major global shipping lines in Sharjah’s ports network and the ability of its maritime infrastructure to accommodate new generations of large container vessels.
