On 26th May 2014, CMA CGM's 334-metre long Cendrillon-the longest ship ever entering the Port of Koper-was moored alongside the Container Terminal.
At the same time, this is the first container ship with the capacity of 8,500 TEUs anticipating the arrival of ever larger ships with larger capacity than we were used to. Cendrillon is the first in a series of five larger ships that the French container shipping company will include in the existing Phoenician Express service that directly connects Koper with the ports of Far East. It is also part of CMA CGM's preparation for the autumn establishment of P3 Alliance, i.e. much anticipated operational alliance of three largest global container shipping companies (CMA CGM, Maersk line and MSC).
Upon the first call of Cendrillon at Koper, Luka Koper was visited by Mr Philippe Lesbros, Deputy Vice-President of CMA CGM who appreciated the port's progress and again pointed out the support of the French shipping company to Luka Koper's development plans. In fact, Cendrillon is their second ship that entered the port's history; in 2008 Balzac inaugurated the completion of the then investment in the extension of Pier I and the acquisition of new container cranes, and simultaneously launched a new direct line with Far East.
Andraz Novak, Luka Koper's Management Board President, thanked Mr Lesbros for confidence and support and presented him the plans aimed at the increase of the Container Terminal capacity. In addition to seabed deepening to-14 m, the increase of storage capacities on the pier has also been underway. This investment-referred to as Dilatacija (Extension) 2 and 3 in the project documentation-will provide additional 6,840 m2 capable of storing an additional 672 TEUs. Further to seabed dredging in Basin I (to-15 m), the project also includes construction of an additional 100 m of quayside together with all the equipment. The project with the estimated value of 78 million euros will be executed in stages by 2018. Through the total investment in the extension of Pier I the annual cargo throughput capacity of the Container Terminal will increase from the current 750,000 by additional 230,000 TEUs.