IF you go down to the docks today you are in for a really big Southampton surprise as the world's largest container ship is due in port.

OOCL Shenzhen can carry a staggering 8,063 containers on her massive decks, so many that if they were laid end to end they would stretch more than 30 miles, that's nearly as far from Southampton docks, along the coast, to Bournemouth.

The first in the latest breed of giant vessels capable of carrying huge amounts of cargo, OOCL Shenzhen was expected alongside Southampton Container Terminals (SCT) as part of the ship's maiden voyage linking the Far East and Europe. So big that she is almost as long as three football pitches, the mega vessel only officially entered service a few weeks ago and Southampton is OOCL Shenzhen's first European port-of-call.

Designed to voyage almost constantly across the oceans, with just the shortest time possible in port, the 89,097 gross registered ton ship represents the next generation of container superships which Southampton can expect to see more and more of in the future.

Now one of the fastest-growing container hubs in Europe, the port of Southampton, owned and operated by Associated British Ports (ABP), handles 50 per cent of all British trade with the Far East.

Last year the port saw a total of 1,275,000 containers pass over the dockside.

Captain James Chestnutt, Southampton's harbour master and deputy port manager, said: "We are delighted to welcome OOCL Shenzhen to the port of Southampton.

"Her arrival will highlight that the port can handle the largest-declared ships afloat in the world today. On behalf of ABP, I would like to welcome the captain and crew to the port of Southampton and, indeed, to the city.''

During the present 56 day-long round trip, which began at Shanghai, OOCL Shenzhen will sail halfway around the world calling at Xiamen, Yantian, Hong Kong, Singapore, Suez, Southampton, Hamburg, Rotterdam, Gioia Tauro, Port Said, Port Kelang before heading back to Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

The vessel is the initial delivery in a batch of eight similar "SX'' class ships to be ordered by Hong Kong's Orient Overseas Container Line and built by Samsung Heavy Industries of Korea. Two are scheduled for this year, four during 2004 and a further two in 2005.

OOCL is one of the port of Southampton's major customers in its growing container sector. The company brings so many containers to the port that each day a dedicated Freightliner train, the OOCL Express, is operated from Southampton docks to Manchester for onward distribution across the country.

One of the industry's main providers of international container transportation, logistics and terminals, OOCL, which can trace it roots back to the late 1940s now has 160 offices in 50 countries, employing more than 4,000 staff.

OOCL is also a member of the Grand Alliance that has more than 100 vessels providing regular services covering the Asia/Europe, Asia/Mediterranean and Asia/North America trades.

FACTFILE...

To allow OOCL Shenzhen to fit completely into Southampton's pedestrian precinct the Bargate would have to be moved more than 230 feet towards the High Street

The ship is equivalent in length to 29 Southampton double decker buses

OOCL Shenzhen is more than five times longer than the Southampton Civic Centre clock is high

A total of four jumbo jets could be parked alongside the ship and OOCL Shenzhen would still be longer

Owners: Orient Overseas Container Line

Builders: Samsung Heavy Industries, Korea

Entered service: April, 2003

Port of Registry/Flag: Hong Kong, China

Gross registered tonnage: 89,097 tons

Length: 1,056 feet

Container capacity: 8,063

For more Southampton shipping stories visit www.thisisshipping.co.uk