THE "biggest vessel ever" has docked in Southampton today.

Longer than the iconic Shard building in London The HMM Oslo has arrived in Southampton.

The container ship is a massive 399.9 metres long, and 61.5 metres wide.

Daily Echo:

After leaving South Korea, she has called at ports in China, Singapore and Rotterdam in the Netherlands, before making her way to the Solent.

The ship's captain was welcomed with a "small, socially distanced" ceremony as well as a maiden call plaque.

Ernst Schulze the UK CEO of shipping company DP World, said: “The HMM Oslo joins around 200 other container ships that have called at Southampton during the lockdown since March, keeping essential food, fuel and medicines flowing to sustain the country."

HMM Oslo will leave Southampton on Saturday, June 27, carrying British exports on her return to South Korea, via France, Germany, The Netherlands and Singapore.

Peter Livey, Managing Director - of Great Britain - for HMM, said: "The deployment of these Megamax-24 vessels is a major milestone for HMM, and we are delighted that the first of these to call at Southampton, the HMM Oslo, has arrived this week.

Daily Echo: Photo taken by Nathan Nelson of HMM Oslo arriving in Southampton on Friday, June 26,2020 Photo taken by Nathan Nelson of HMM Oslo arriving in Southampton on Friday, June 26,2020

“HMM vessels have used DP World Southampton for a number of years, and we are pleased that the biggest container ships in the world are now calling at DP World facilities in both Southampton and at DP World London Gateway.

“Ships of this size give us the capacity and flexibility to get our customers’ goods to the right place at the right time."