When recently checking the visitor log at the Mission to Seafarers, I was amused by the name of a ship from which we hosted a large group of seafarers. The name of the ship was Mongoose Hunter and curiosity so got the better of me that I had to dig deeper. After all, who would call a ship Mongoose Hunter or Mongoose anything for that matter. On research, I was able to identify that within the Delphis Fleet, owned since 2015 by Compagnie Maritime Belge, there also exists the imaginatively named mid-size container ships named Cuckoo Hunter, Duck Hunter, Grouse Hunter, Harrier Hunter, Hawk Hunter and Moose Hunter. 

Built by Hyundai Heavy Industries, Ulsan,
Delivered in 2005
Owned and managed by Delphis Shipping, a subsidiary of Compagnie Maritime Belge (CMB)
Chartered by 2M Alliance
LOA 294.1m
Beam 32.3m
GRT 58,289 tons
DWT 64,519 MT
Capacity 4,922
Registered in Monrovia
Previous names: Built as P&O Nedlloyd Heemskerck, MOL Cullinan, 2005-14, Santa Regina 2014-15

 

Mongoose Hunter is currently operating within the 2M Alliance of Maersk Line and Mediterranean Shipping Company which formally began operations in January 2015. Under the negotiated terms, the world’s two largest container carriers signed a 10 year Vessel Sharing Agreement on the Asia-Europe, Transatlantic and Transpacific trades. The Alliance also has a strategic cooperation Agreement with Hyundai Merchant Marine signed in March this year.

CMB was founded in 1895 under the name ‘Compagnie Belge Maritime du Congo (CBMC) when a maritime trading link was opened with the Congo Free State. In 1930 CBMC acquired Lloyd Royal Belge, another Belgian shipowner, and the name of the new company was amended to CMB ahead of forging new trading links with North America and the Far East. The company entered the dry bulk trade in 1962 and continues to be a major dry bulk operator under its Bocimar name. In 1995, 50% of CMB Transport was sold to Safmarine but today the company focuses on the bulk sector. Since 1997, CMB has also owned Euronav, one of the world’s largest owner/operators of large tankers with 46 vessels currently under ownership.

  

Mongoose Hunter seen here in her previous colours (left to right) as P&O Nedlloyd Heemskerck, MOL Cullinan and Santa Regina.