Zim’s Lyming on the Dock

Late last year, ZIM Integrated Shipping Services, in collaboration with Carib Star Shipping Limited, hosted a customer appreciation event under the theme, ‘Lyming on the Dock’. It was held aboard the 11,037 TEUs capacity M/V Cape Tainaro, which deployed on ZIM Container Shipping Pacific, and was docked at the Kingston Freeport Terminal.

The purpose of the event was to thank a group of its valued customers for their support over the years. Among those in attendance were representatives from Wisynco Group Ltd, Derrimon Trading, Seprod Ltd, Nations Choice Ltd, The Gleaner Company (Media) Ltd, Fairfield Farms/Bogues Bros Ltd, Classic Jewellers, Tropical Battery Ltd, Creighton Auto Ltd, Sutherland Communication, and Island Dreams Bedding & Furniture.

The company announced the start of its value-added services. These include trucking and customs clearance, thereby allowing the company the opportunity to be a full logistics partner to our customers. The Carib Star team took the opportunity to encourage attendees to use the ‘myZIM app’ (digital application), which can be programmed to give alerts and prompts on where cargo is at any point in time from the time the vessel sets sail. This should reduce unnecessary trips to the port or calls to the office as the customers are automatically updated and will be made aware of any delays.

General Manager of Carib Star, Captain Samir Ghosh gave a short speech during the event, “ZIM Integrated Shipping Services has been calling the port of Kingston for more than 40 years. Over that time, ZIM has helped to make Kingston a prominent hub and trans-shipment centre in the Western Hemisphere. The line considers Kingston an important gateway to the Americas and we have committed to continuing to operate in Jamaica, as evidenced by ZIM’s recently launched new Central America-Caribbean Service. ZIM, through our local shipping agent Carib Star Shipping Limited, has been working closely with our Jamaican customers, without fail, for decades and will continue to do so.

Role in global trade

“I would like to reiterate that during 1950-60 when containerisation started, we played a very important role in global trade. For example, we approached the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) and committed to make our base at the port of Kingston. And today, the result is that we (Jamaica) have one of the biggest container terminals in the region. We continue to use Kingston as our base for our hub-and-spoke model, while continuing to grow domestic business day by day. When competitors are changing their base from one country to another, we (ZIM), are committed to use Kingston as our main base for this region and will be continuing to do so.”

He told attendees, “over the years, we have increased our vessel sizes deployed in this trade from 3.5K to 4.5K to 6.5k to 8.K to now 11K and you are aboard one of this 11K vessel. This is a very happy moment for who supported us through the journey from 3.5K to 11K. I am pleased to introduce MV Cape Tainrao, which is only two years old. I am sure you are going to have a once-in-a-lifetime experience with this vessel. Let me give some specifics of this vessel to you.

She is:

Length: 330m – more than seven times the height of the Statue of Liberty.

Breadth: 48.2m – more than the height of the Statue of Liberty.

Hight from Keel: 78m – same as a 25-storey building.

Draft: 16.0m – 5 floors under water

ME capacity: 57,541BHP

Speed: 25 kts – 45km/hr.

FO/DO capacity: 8,1500 MT

Container capacity: 11037

RF plugs: 1453

The attendees were also treated to a tour of the bridge of the vessel. It will return to Jamaica from the Far East on a monthly rotation.