Staff at the Port of Felixstowe are used to handling an array of unusual and fragile loads and this week they have been tasked with welcoming a yacht destined for a race around the world.

The Skagen Maersk brought Team New Zealand’s Volvo Open 70 yacht into the port, with the boat being prepared for the round-the-world Volvo Ocean Race.

While in Felixstowe, the boat will undergo preparations for the race and staff were happy to see it berth at the port.

David Gledhill, head of Hutchison Ports UK, said: “We have worked very closely with Team New Zealand on this shipment and are pleased to have been able to accommodate the yacht in Felixstowe.

“With the additional flexibility gained through our newest cranes offering super-heavy lifts of up to 100 tonnes, we look forward to continued growth in the area of break-bulk shipments. We wish the team the best of luck for the race.”

The trip, which began at the team’s base in Auckland, New Zealand, took one month to complete and included a trip to Malaysia where the yacht was put on to the Maersk vessel.

The boat will now stay in Felixstowe, in a specially-created berth facility, before she sets sail to London to begin a promotional tour on September 5. The race is due to start on October 29, in Alicante, Spain.

Have you seen the yacht? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or you can e-mail eveningstarletters@evening star.co.uk.