Wealden MP Nus Ghani, who is the Minister for Shipping in the Department for Transport, christened a shipping vessel owned by Hapag-Lloyd AG, a global cargo shipping company.
Nus christened the new ship “Afif”. Christening new shipping vessels is a historically ceremonial ritual, with a sacrificial bottle of champagne smashed against the bow of the ship.
“Afif” can hold 15,000 twenty foot containers and is more than 385 metres long. Fully ready for liquid nitrogen gas, the ship is among the most environmentally friendly in the world. It is the first vessel that Hapag-Lloyd have registered in the UK for more than 20 years, and is three times the size of Hapag-Lloyd’s previous ship christened in the UK.
Nus Ghani, MP for Wealden, said: “It was a fantastic and unique honour to be able to christen a cargo ship the size of Afif, especially considering this is the first Hapag-Lloyd ship to be christened in the UK for over twenty years.
“As the Minister for Shipping, I have seen first-hand the thriving British maritime industry, worth billions of pounds to the UK economy. Shipping is key to the UK, enabling trade right across the world and helping deliver food to our cupboards and energy for our homes.
“Afif will have a vital role in the growth of the UK economy by moving our exports and imports all around the world. I wish her good luck and Godspeed as she travels around the globe.”