Despite the political turmoil gripping Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Seaport Alliance (HKSPA) welcomed HMM GDANSK, the world’s largest container vessel, on its July 12 maiden call to Hong Kong at Kwai Tsing Container Terminal 7.

HMM GDANSK , which is one of the twelve 24,000-TEU class of mega vessels of HMM Co., Ltd., the vessel features a length of 1,312 feet, a width of nearly 201 feet and a maximum capacity of 23,964 TEU. Since June, the vessel has operated THE Alliance Far East Europe 3 service that connects major ports in China, Asia and Europe.

“We are excited to welcome the world’s biggest vessel on its maiden call at such challenging times,” said Leonard Fung, managing director of Hongkong International Terminals (HIT), upon the HMM GDANSK’s arrival.

“This is a momentous event for Hong Kong’s maritime industry and HIT, signifying a vote of confidence in our offering and allowing us to capture future opportunities.”

The vessel is billed as being equipped with the world’s most advanced DS4 (DSME Smart Ship Platform), ECDIS (Electronic Chart Display and Information System), monitoring system and smart navigation system. In response to the new International Maritime Organization’s environmental regulations, HMM GDANSK has installed scrubbers to reduce its sulfur emissions.