There are more than 50,000 container ships currently active in the oceans. Have you ever wondered what the world’s largest cargo ships, which transport the imported goods you use daily, look like? If so, then you have clicked on the right article. The first container ship in the world, Autocarrier, was launched in 1931 and had only 21 slots for containers. Compare that to today’s average ship, which can carry around 24,300 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units). Isn’t that insane? If you’re a knowledge enthusiast and want to learn more about how these container ships operate, then read this article till the end because in this article, I’ll be discussing the five World’s Biggest Container Ship in the world and some crazy facts about them.
Watch 5 World’s Biggest Container Ship
But first, if you’re new to this concept and want to understand what container ships are, don’t worry—I’ll explain it in simple terms. Container ships are giant vessels floating on the water, designed to transport a massive amount of quantities of goods in one journey across the globe. We can’t even imagine our world without these ships as the imported goods would take forever to reach us and the global trade would be much more expensive.
Now let’s get started with the article and find out if the container ship from your country makes it onto the list or not.
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HMM Algeciras
What if I told you that South Korea isn’t just known for K-pop and mouthwatering cuisine, but also for building one of the largest container ships? On April 23, 2020, HMM, the 9th largest container shipping company globally, built by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, proudly claimed the record for owning the largest container vessel on the planet, surpassing the OOCL Hong Kong, when they revealed “HMM Algeciras,” their first 24,000 TEU containership, at a naming ceremony in Korea. However, if you paid attention to the introduction, you know that this is not the largest record, so keep watching to find out who broke it. When the world was suffering with intense trade drawbacks due to Covid Pandemic, this ship was launched, preventing global supply chains from collapsing. Purchasing and launching the ship cost the Korean company over $140 million, and it measures 400 meters long, 60 meters wide, and 70 meters high. The liner service this vessel operates includes routes between East Asia and Europe, with ports such as Rotterdam, London Gateway, Singapore, and Qingdao. Currently, this vessel is en route to Sri Lanka and is expected to arrive there on March 16.
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Ever a lot
You must have heard in the news about the incident where the Suez Canal was blocked for six days by a mega container ship named Ever Given in the year 2021. This ship is owned by the Taiwanese shipping company, Evergreen Marine Corporation, founded in 1968 by tycoon Chang Yung-fa. Interestingly, the same company owns the world’s fourth-largest container ship, Ever Alot, surpassing Everace on the list.
Ever Alot, delivered by China and launched in June 2022, serves trade routes between Europe and the Far East. It boasts a massive capacity of carrying 24,004 containers. The vessel stretches 399.99 meters long and 61.5 meters wide, with a deck area of 24,000 square meters and a cargo compartment that’s 33.2 meters deep. To give you a perspective, it’s almost as long as four football fields put together, rightfully earning the title of a king-size carrier by its owner. As large cargo ships produce more pollution than more than 20 cars combined, the shipbuilder has adopted the latest hydrodynamic optimization tech, allowing the vessel to produce lower co2 while containing more containers. The ship sails under the flag of Panama, a transcontinental country in South America with an important geographical location and the largest number of ships registered. Ever Alot has two sister ships called Ever Aria and Ever Atop, all boasting the same capacity, length, and width.
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One Innovation
One Innovation is like a floating city on the ocean, famous not only for being the third-largest container ship in the world but also for its striking pink magenta color. It’s surprising how this ship hasn’t made an appearance in a Barbie movie. Owned by Ocean Network Express, ONE INNOVATION was successfully delivered at Kure Shipyard of Japan Marine United Corporation on 2 June 2023. With a length of 400 meters and a width of 61.40 meters, it boasts a capacity of 24,136 TEU and sails under the flag of Liberia. And if you’re curious about its speed, it can reach a top speed of 15 knots. But what sets this ship apart is its commitment to sustainability. It has been designed to operate with lower carbon emissions, maximizing cargo capacity while minimizing fuel consumption. The vessel is equipped with a bow windshield, an energy saving device and an exhaust gas cleaning system with the emission regulations set by the International Maritime Organization, fostering sustainable development in global logistics. Till now all the mentioned ships are owned by companies of Asia, reflecting their strong expertise in it. Let’s find out if the remaing two are also ruled by Asia or not.
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OOCL Spain
Even the second-largest container ship in the world is owned by an Asian company. The “OOCL Spain” belongs to Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL), headquartered in Hong Kong, and has a capacity of 24,188 TEU. Hong Kong leads the world as the next largest container ship leader, with at least 17 of the world’s largest container ships owned by companies based there. The OOCL Spain was put into service in March 2023 and sails between Asia and Northern Europe. The TSM provides a direct connection between Greece, Turkey, Spain, and Morocco, along with a transshipment connection at the Mediterranean hub of Piraeus. It leaves every week from all the ports, using four ships in a cycle that takes 28 days. Powered by a WinGD main engine 12 x 92 with an output of 65,000 kilowatts, the OOCL Spain accelerates to a cruising speed of 22.5 knots. The ship has received three “Smart Ship” awards from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), recognizing its use of advanced technology and data collection to improve operations, reduce fuel consumption, monitor its structure, and ensure safety during long voyages.
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MSC Irina
The ship I’m going to tell you about is the biggest container ship in the world as of 2024. It’s so massive and giant that you’d look like a tiny puppet in front of it. While its length and width are similar to many existing vessels, it has the largest capacity of all container ships. It beats the previous record-holder, OOCL Spain, by over 150 TEU. MSC Irina, the world’s largest boxship, was built in 2023 and put into service the same year. It’s the first of six ships to be built by the Chinese Jiangsu Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Group, transporting goods between Asia, Europe, and North America, playing a major role in global trade. The vessel can carry more than 24,300 standard 20-foot shipping containers stacked up to 26 deep. Additionally, the ship will emit 3-4% less carbon compared to similar vessels. It was floated for the first time on August 10 and floated out on October 29. Sailing under the Liberian flag, it measures 399.9 meters in length and 61.3 meters in width.
MSC’s growth as the world’s largest container shipping company is continuing with each passing day. It surpassed Maersk shipping line in early 2022 to become the world’s largest container shipping company, and it is still expanding. MSC Irina is equipped with various advanced features such as a waste heat recovery system, ballast water treatment system, and fuel-efficient engine.
But you might wonder, is bigger better or does it bring a package of disadvantages with it? There are some flip sides to it as well, apart from its perks. One of them is port infrastructure, as many ports around the world are not ready to accommodate ships the size of MSC Irina, limiting its flexibility. Another factor is the operation and maintenance challenges, and if any one of the ships meets with an accident, it would cause a loss of millions of dollars, even more than the cost of building it. Despite all this, it can’t be ignored that MSC Irina is currently one of the major technological achievements.
Whether container ships have reached their limits or the world will see yet another achievement, beating down MSC Irina, only time will tell. But one thing is certain: we have not reached our limits and will keep providing you with more interesting content.
