P&OML Captain pilots world’s largest ship into Jebel Ali

On 4th September 2020, Jebel Ali welcomed one of the world’s largest shipping containers – the HMM Gdansk. The 400m-long vessel is one of the few in the world with a capacity for 24,000 TEUs. The gargantuan ship was returning from its maiden voyage, sailing from London Gateway and onto Singapore.

P&O Maritime Logistics’ port services team began preparations in advance. P&OML’s pilot, Capt. Rajender Pal Vaid, worked with the pilot manager to ensure the ship’s model was uploaded into the in-house simulation software. Then, a month before the HMM Gdansk arrived, pilots received their induction and training to ensure the whole team were primed and ready. The day of arrival came and thanks to effective communication, the vessel was safely piloted into Jebel Ali in just over two hours.

Jebel Ali is one of the few ports on the Gulf that can accommodate mega vessels with the capability to handle ten at a time. Not only does it have a total handling capacity of 22.4 million TEU but it boasts an experienced and highly adaptable pilotage team with P&O Maritime Logistics. The HMM Gdansk’s visit underscores the value of DP World and P&OML working together as well as Jebel Ali’s capability as the region’s premier gateway port on the Asia-Europe sea trade route.