Sri Lanka’s Hambantota Port welcomes new gen NYK carrier
Sri Lanka’s Hambantota International Port has welcomed NYK’s Azalea Leader, which made its maiden call to the port in August.
Azalea Leader is a 200-metre long new generation LNG dual-fuel pure car and truck carrier (PCTC). The ship was built in 2026 and sails under the Liberian flag and is capable of transporting 4,810 vehicles and another 47 units for local discharge. The new gen carrier has a maximum carrying capacity of 7,000 units.
The ship also has Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) technology on its main engine to reduce Nitrogen Oxide emissions.
Hambantota’s importance in logistics routes have been on the rise, with significant volume routed through Hambantota to the Middle East, with the Azalea embarking from Singapore.
“The maiden call of Azalea Leader is significant because we are increasingly seeing shipping lines deploy their newest and most sophisticated vessels through Hambantota,”Wilson Qu, CEO, HIPG, said in a press release.
“It demonstrates the pivotal role HIP is developing in the regional RoRo sector and showcases the potential of the port as automotive volumes moving through Hambantota continue to grow.”
