A giant on the move: The “Wilhelmshaven Express” making her way to her namesake port in northern Germany.
As the sun reached its midday peak over Jade Bay, the sky above Wilhelmshaven – a port town in northwestern Germany – gleamed a clear blue, the water sparkling in the summer light. In the distance, a sleek silhouette grew larger by the minute – the “Wilhelmshaven Express,” the newest and final 23,660 TEU vessel of the Hamburg Express class, making her much-anticipated maiden arrival at her namesake port. She was finally coming home. Her 400-meter-long steel hull glided smoothly through the harbor entrance, towering above the tugboats escorting her in. On shore, under the bright noon sun, port personnel, seafarers’ families and maritime enthusiasts lined the quay, watching with a mixture of awe and pride. This was no ordinary arrival.
Follow the homecoming journey of the “Wilhelmshaven Express”:
Hannah Ohorn
Terminal Director at EUROGATE Wilhelmshaven
Almost too big to handle
Behind this striking arrival lay years of preparation – from the vessel’s construction and outfitting in the Hanwha Ocean shipyard to the meticulous operational adjustments in the terminal made by EUROGATE, the port’s terminal operator. Handling ultra large container vessels (ULCVs) like the “Wilhelmshaven Express” demands infrastructure designed for both today and tomorrow. Among the most visible upgrades was the heightening of ship-to-shore cranes by 11 meters, a critical move to accommodate vessels of this magnitude.
“Several years ago, we made key investments in the crane heightening to fully handle ships of this size. The bigger the move count, the better productivities are reachable.”
A unique challenge for the crew
Captain Sebastian Fuchs took command during the ship’s final construction phase, spending about three months at the Korean shipyard overseeing completion alongside the on-site engineering team. This close involvement helped him become intimately familiar with the ship before its maiden voyage, as simulator training is standard but not vessel-specific.
Fuchs had previously launched another large vessel, the “Leverkusen Express” – but almost 14,000 TEU is not the same as almost 24,000 TEU. “This size of container vessel is really new to me,” Captain Fuchs said.
“Of course, you have to develop an eye for the ship’s dimensions and a feel for its mass. The larger and heavier the ship, the more cautious and forward-thinking you have to be while navigating it.”
In fact, even though Fuchs is impressed by the advanced dual-fuel technology of the “Wilhelmshaven Express”, he still thinks that its most striking feature is its colossal size.
Sebastian Fuchs
Captain of the “Wilhelmshaven Express”
Ship and crew become one
After successful sea trials, the crew took full responsibility for the ship and began the voyage in early June 2025. “After leaving the shipyard, only the crew was on board,” Captain Fuchs explained. “I personally hadn’t sailed on any of the sister ships of the ‘Wilhelmshaven Express’. But with my 15 years of experience as a captain on a wide variety of Hapag-Lloyd vessels – and the support we received from our Fleet Management back in Hamburg – we were well prepared.”
Regardless of its size, a new ship is more than steel – it’s a new environment filled with unknowns and excitement. The crew become pioneers, shaping the ship’s identity from day one. “We had a barbeque with the entire crew when we left the Asian coast to celebrate taking delivery of the vessel,” said Chief Officer Justus Fichthorn, who has sailed for Hapag-Lloyd for 15 years. “It was a great evening.” And it was good to ensure that the crew’s spirits were high, as the voyage that lay ahead would present some novel challenges.
Lloyd Lester Durate (left) and Edwin Apolona Caisip (right) Seaman & Bosun of the “Wilhelmshaven Express”
Justus Fichthorn Chief Officer of the “Wilhelmshaven Express”
Terminal employees closely monitored the loading and unloading of the “Wilhelmshaven Express”.
Precision on the port side
Back at the quay in Wilhelmshaven, EUROGATE’s teams executed a textbook berthing operation. Tug crews, mooring personnel and crane operators – many of whom had undergone additional training on how to handle ULCVs – worked seamlessly. In addition, the berth had been reinforced, and dredging operations had ensured the required under-keel clearance. After a voyage that had thankfully gone smoothly, the “Wilhelmshaven Express” offloaded her first containers within hours of docking – an efficiency milestone that underscores the strategic role that Container Terminal Wilhelmshaven is set to play as a central hub in the Gemini network. In total, more than 7,500 containers were moved – more than in any other port on the ship’s maiden voyage.
Looking ahead: Celebrations to come
In a departure from tradition, the christening ceremony for the “Wilhelmshaven Express” did not take place during her maiden call. Instead, the vessel will be formally named at a dedicated event in Wilhelmshaven on October 28, after she has completed her first full round voyage.
As the “Wilhelmshaven Express” settles into her operational rhythm, one thing is clear: This vessel is more than a flagship. She is a floating testament to innovation, scale, teamwork and the shared ambition to shape the next era of maritime transport.
The next highlight is already on the horizon: The christening of the “Wilhelmshaven Express” will take place at the end of October.
A family of giants
With the completion of the “Wilhelmshaven Express” and its successful maiden voyage, Hapag-Lloyd completes its most ambitious newbuilding program in the company's history. These twelve vessels were constructed over a period of just four years, with several often being built simultaneously.
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