Polar-Costa-Rica

The largest container ship to ever berth in the Port of Cork's deepwater terminal unloaded a mega cargo of fruit - including millions of bananas. The MV POLAR COSTA RICA, which measures almost twice the length of Páirc Úi Chaoimh, eased past Roche's Point after its 10-day transatlantic voyage and tied up just after 4pm at the port facility in Ringaskiddy A huge logistics operation kicked in to unload part of its massive cargo of bananas predominately, but also pineapples and melons, direct from plantations across Central America. With a deadweight tonnage of 43,600 tonnes, the 230-metre long ocean-going giant was carrying hundreds of huge containers, each containing several pallets which in turn contained dozens of smaller boxes of fruit. There are about 100 bananas in each box; there are 66 boxes on each pallet; and 20 pallets in each of the ship's containers. The MV POLAR COSTA RICA has capacity for 1,000 containers which means the ship could carry about 132m bananas - if that was its only cargo.