IN late March, Port Botany welcomed the longest containership ever to visit the port.

Soroe Maersk called DP World Australia’s terminal at the port as a sweeper, evacuating empty containers from Australia to Asia.

The vessel loaded 3756 TEU of empty containers, or about 40% of its total capacity of 9578 at Port Botany.

After its Sydney visit, the long ship headed to Melbourne, where it loaded an additional 4148 TEU of empties at the Victoria International Container Terminal.

Maersk Oceania managing director Henrik Jensen said the company works to meet client requirements while also driving efficiencies throughout its service network.

“To that end, the Soroe Maersk port call into Melbourne allows us to test potential future network and infrastructure aspects, and use the one-off vessel call to reposition much-needed empty containers to demand locations in Asia.”

Soroe Maersk is 346.9 metres long and 42.9 metres wide.

Soroe Maersk at Melbourne’s VICT. Image: VICT