DP World Southampton Provides a Welcome Lift for Ecover 3's Journey Home

DP World Southampton today (20 February 2009) played its part in welcoming home Mike Golding’s yacht, ECOVER 3, from its participation in the Vendée Globe.

ECOVER 3 has been shipped back to the UK from Fremantle, Australia, by yacht shipping specialists Complete Freight, onboard the containership Maersk Stepnica.

Unloading the yacht, which measures over 20 metres and weighs about 7,500 kg, from the Maersk Stepnica, DP World Southampton used one of the terminal’s quayside gantry cranes, to gently lift it off the vessel and onto quayside.

Commenting on the operation, Brendon Bilston, Head of Operations, DP World Southampton, said:

“We are delighted to assist Mike Golding, the ECOVER 3 team and Maersk Line in bringing home safely this famous yacht. The lift demonstrated the flexibility of the terminal’s operations team in being able to handle unusual cargoes.”

Mark Cornwell, Operations Director, Maersk Line UK & Ireland, added:

“Moving goods by sea is the most energy efficient and environmentally friendly mode of transportation. Vessels like the Maersk Stepnica carry an amazing variety of goods including London taxi cabs, film sets, historic fighter planes and now the ECOVER 3, a high performance racing yacht. Together with DP World Southampton, we are thrilled to be able to deliver the ECOVER 3 safely back to the UK from other side of the globe.”