First Stop of the Ship “Rotterdam” in Ceuta

The ship “Rotterdam” docked for the first time yesterday, April 1, at the port of Ceuta. More than a thousand tourists, mostly British, Canadian, and American, enjoyed a stop favored by magnificent weather, during which they not only toured the surroundings, the city center, and even took an excursion to neighboring Morocco, but also admired the limits of the Strait of Gibraltar.

The presence of this ship from Holland America Line marks a milestone in the maritime history of the city, as it is the largest of its kind to arrive so far. It docked at the Spain dock, which has been renovated to accommodate this type of traffic. The president of the Port Authority, José Torrado, welcomed the distinguished visitor upon arrival and an official ceremony was held on board to commemorate the first stop.

Ceuta is an interesting city. It is clean, orderly, and attractive. “It is a wonderful city and has many possibilities,” said the president of the Port Authority while awaiting the ship's arrival. Holland America Line is already familiar with the Ceuta port, although this time it was the ship “Rotterdam” that made its first stop. This tourist season, the arrival of another fifteen ships is expected, highlighting the interest that the Ceuta port has in the sector.

Construction number 5,980 from the Fincantieri shipyard in Breda (Venice, Italy), the ship “Rotterdam” entered service in November 1997. The official naming ceremony took place at the port of Barcelona. It is a ship of 59,652 gross tons and 6,354 net tons, with a total length of 237.95 m, a beam of 32.25 m, and a draft of 7.50 m. It is powered by four Sulzer 16ZA40S engines, totaling 37,500 kW over two shafts and an equal number of variable-pitch propellers, allowing it to maintain a speed of 22 knots. It can accommodate a maximum of 1,668 passengers in a highly comfortable environment. IMO Code 9122552.

Photo:  Juan Carlos Díaz Lorenzo