Container ship

Container ship "Rita" being loaded at Copenhagen; note crew standing on deck, and stacks of containers on shore.

Container ship in Istanbul

Container ships are a common means of commercial ocean transportation.

Usage

Container ships are cargo ships that carry all of their load in truck-size containers, in a technique called containerization. However, cargo that is too big to carry in containers can be handled using so-called flat racks, open top containers and platforms. There are also container ships called "RoRo's" (for roll-on, roll-off), which utilize shore-based ramp systems for loading and unloading. RoRo's are usually associated with shorter trade routes, as they are unable to carry the volume of crane-based container vessels. However, due to their flexibilty and high speed, Ro-Ro's are frequently used in today's container markets. Moreover due to the growth of the containers transit, companies must manage container ship risks.

Risks

As they can carry up to 10,000 containers, the total value of cargo per vessel can reach $200 million. The ceaseless transit of these containers (at any given time, between 5 million and 6 million boxes) implies a great deal of risk.

Risks linked to the vessel

Maneuvers in the port managed by the control tower may be dangerous and in open sea, storms can cause the loss of containers.

These containers are designed to be waterproof and should float. However, with corrosion and wear, the container may sink.

Risks linked to loading of containers

Each ship carries many containers and complex organization is required to not lose or misroute containers. Outside of container manifests, there is no way to know the contents of each container.

Containers are loaded by a crane, and there must be as little vibration of the loaded container as possible. Thus the crane operator has to be well-qualified and experienced to operate the crane efficiently.

Other risks

The great value of merchandise on these vessels makes them a target for hijackers. Well-organized piracy remains a threat in places such as Indonesia.

Furthermore, containers are often used to smuggle contraband.

Construction

Container ships are designed in such a manner that no space is wasted. Their capacity is measured in TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units). This is the number of 20 ft containers that a vessel can carry. The majority of containers used today are 40 ft in length. Above a certain size, container ships do not carry their own loading gear. Hence loading and unloading can only be done at ports with the necessary cranes. However, smaller ships with capacities up to 2,900 TEUs are often equipped with their own cranes.

Informally known as "box boats," they carry the majority of the world's dry cargo, meaning manufactured goods. Cargoes like metal ores or coal or wheat are carried in bulk carriers. There are large main line vessels that ply the deep sea routes, then many small "feeder" ships that supply the large ships at centralized hub ports. Most container ships are propelled by diesel engines, and have crews of between 20 and 40 people. They generally have a large accommodation block at the stern, directly above the engine room. Container ships now carry up to 10,000 containers on a voyage.

History

The first container ships were converted tankers, built up from surplus tanker Liberty ships after World War II. The first container ship was the Ideal-X, a converted oil tanker, owned by Malcom McLean, which carried 58 metal containers between Newark, New Jersey and Houston, Texas on its first voyage, in April of 1956. Now, container ships are all purpose-built and, as a class, are second only to crude oil tankers as the biggest cargo ships on the oceans.

Shipyards

Large container ships (over 7000 TEU) have been built in the following shipyards:
* Odense Steel Shipyard, Denmark
* Hyundai Heavy Industries, South Korea
* Samsung Heavy Industries, South Korea
* Daewoo Heavy Industries, South Korea
* IHI, Kure, Japan
* Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Nagasaki, Japan

Largest ships

Biggest Ships in the World, listed by TEU capacity

Built	Name	Length o.a.	Beam	TEU	BRT	Owners/Flag
2006	Georg Maersk	367,28 m	42,8 m	10150	97933	Maersk Line/Denmark
2006	Gerd Maersk	367.3 m	42.8 m	10150	97933	Maersk Line/Denmark
2005	Gjertrud Maersk	367.3 m	42.8 m	10150	97933	Maersk Line/Denmark
2005	Grete Maersk	367.3 m	42.8 m	10150	97933	Maersk Line/Denmark
2005	Gudrun Maersk	367.3 m	42.8 m	10150	97933	Maersk Line/Denmark
2005	Gunvor Maersk	367.3 m	42.8 m	10150	97933	Maersk Line/Denmark
2006	Xin Los Angeles	336.7 m	45.6 m	9580	107200	China Shipping Container Lines (CSCL)/Hong Kong
2006	Cosco Beijing	350.0 m	42.8 m	9469	99833	Costamare Shipping/Greece
2006	Cosco Hellas	350.0 m	42.8 m	9469	99833	Costamare Shipping/Greece
2006	Cosco Guangzhou	350.56 m	42.8 m	9469	99833	Costamare Shipping/Greece
2006	Cosco Ningbo	350.0 m	42.8 m	9469	99833	Costamare Shipping/Greece
2006	Cosco Yantian	350.0 m	42.8 m	9469	99833	Costamare Shipping/Greece
2006	CMA CGM Fidelio	350.0 m	42.8 m	9415	99500	CMA CGM/France
2006	CMA CGM Medea	350.6 m	42.8 m	9415	95000	CMA CGM/France
2003	Arnold Maersk	352.6 m	42.8 m	9310	93496	Maersk Line/Denmark
2003	Anna Maersk	352.6 m	42.8 m	9310	93496	Maersk Line/Denmark
2004	Albert Maersk	352.6 m	42.8 m	9310	93496	Maersk Line/Denmark
2004	Adrian Maersk	352.6 m	42.8 m	9310	93496	Maersk Line/Denmark
2003	Arthur Maersk	352.6 m	42.8 m	9310	93496	Maersk Line/Denmark
2003	Axel Maersk	352.6 m	42.8 m	9310	93496	Maersk Line/Denmark
2006	MSC Esthi	335.0 m	45.8 m	9200	99500	MSC/Liberia
2005	MSC Pamela	336.7 m	45.6 m	9200	90449	MSC/Liberia
2005	MSC Susanna	321.0 m	45.6 m	9200	90449	MSC/Liberia
2005	MSC Chicago	321.0 m	45.6 m	9200	90449	Offen Claus-Peter/Liberia
2005	MSC Bruxelles	321.0 m	45.6 m	9200	90449	Offen Claus-Peter/Liberia
2006	MSC Madeleine	348.5.0 m	42.8 m	9100	107551	MSC/Liberia
2006	MSC Ines	348.5.0 m	42.8 m	9100	107551	MSC/Liberia
2002	Charlotte Maersk	347.0 m	42.8 m	8890	91690	Maersk Line/Denmark
2002	Clementine Maersk	347.0 m	42.8 m	8890	91690	Maersk Line/Denmark
2002	Columbine Maersk	347.0 m	42.8 m	8890	91690	Maersk Line/Denmark
2002	Cornelia Maersk	347.0 m	42.8 m	8890	91690	Maersk Line/Denmark
2005	Colombo Express	335.5 m	42.8 m	8749	93750	Hapag-Lloyd/Germany
2006	Chicago Express	335.5 m	42.8 m	8749	93750	Hapag-Lloyd/Germany
2005	Kyoto Express	335.5 m	42.8 m	8749	93750	Hapag-Lloyd/Germany
1999	Clifford Maersk	347.0 m	42.8 m	8680	91690	Maersk Line/Denmark
1998	Sally Maersk	347.0 m	42.8 m	8680	91690	Maersk Line/Denmark
1998	Sine Maersk	347.0 m	42.8 m	8680	91690	Maersk Line/Denmark
1999	Skagen Maersk	347.0 m	42.8 m	8680	91690	Maersk Line/Denmark
1998	Sofie Maersk	347.0 m	42.8 m	8680	91690	Maersk Line/Denmark
1999	Sorø Maersk	347.0 m	42.8 m	8680	91690	Maersk Line/Denmark
1997	Sovereing Maersk	347.0 m	42.8 m	8680	91690	Maersk Line/Denmark
1997	Susan Maersk	347.0 m	42.8 m	8680	91690	Maersk Line/Denmark
1999	Svend Maersk	347.0 m	42.8 m	8680	91690	Maersk Line/Denmark
1998	Svendborg Maersk	347.0 m	42.8 m	8680	91690	Maersk Line/Denmark
2000	A.P. Møller	347.0 m	42.8 m	8660	91690	Maersk Line/Denmark
2000	Caroline Maersk	347.0 m	42.8 m	8660	91690	Maersk Line/Denmark
2000	Carsten Maersk	347.0 m	42.8 m	8660	91690	Maersk Line/Denmark
2001	Chastine Maersk	347.0 m	42.8 m	8660	91690	Maersk Line/Denmark
2001	Cornelius Maersk	347.0 m	42.8 m	8660	91690	Maersk Line/Denmark
2001	Laura Maersk	266.0 m	37.0 m	8660	50721	Maersk Line/Denmark
2004	CSCL Europe	334.00 m	42.80 m	8498	90645	Allocean Maritime/Cyprus
2005	CSCL Africa	334.00 m	42.9 m	8468	90645	Seaspan Container Line/Cyprus
2004	CSCL America	334.00 m	42.9 m	8468	90645	Allocean Maritime/Cyprus
2004	CSCL Asia	334.00 m	42.9 m	8468	90645	Seaspan Container Line/Hong Kong
2004	CSCL Oceania	334.00 m	42.9 m	8468	90645	Seaspan Container Line/Hong Kong
2006	Maersk Seville	335.0 m	42.8 m	8452	94724	Blue Star GmbH/Liberia
2005	Maersk Santana	335.0 m	42.8 m	8452	94724	Blue Star GmbH/Liberia
2006	Maersk Sheerness	335.0 m	42.8 m	8452	94724	Blue Star GmbH/Liberia
2005	Maersk Sarnia	335.0 m	42.8 m	8452	94724	Blue Star GmbH/Liberia
2005	Maersk Sydney	335.0 m	42.8 m	8452	94724	Blue Star GmbH/Liberia
2005	MSC Rania	332.4 m	43.2 m	8400	95000	MSC/Panama
2006	MSC Silvana	332.4 m	43.2 m	8400	95000	MSC/Panama
2005	Houston Express	332.4 m	43.2 m	8400	95000	Norddeutsche Reederei/Germany
2005	Savannah Express	332.4 m	43.2 m	8400	95000	Norddeutsche Reederei/Germany
2006	Maersk Stralsund	332.4 m	43.2 m	8400	95000	Blue Star GmbH/Liberia
2006	Maersk Saigon	332.4 m	43.2 m	8400	95000	Blue Star GmbH/Liberia
2004	CMA CGM Hugo	334.1 m	42.8 m	8238	90745	NSB Niederelbe/Germany
2004	CMA CGM Vivaldi	334.1 m	42.8 m	8238	90745	CMA CGM/Bahamas
2004	MSC Rachele	334.1 m	42.8 m	8238	90745	NSB Niederelbe/Germany
2004	Pacific Link	334.1 m	42.8 m	8238	90745	NSB Niederelbe/Germany
2006	CMA CGM Traviata	335.0 m	42.8 m	8204	91400	CMA CGM/France
2006	CMA CGM Nabucco	335.0 m	42.8 m	8204	91400	CMA CGM/France
2005	CMA CGM Otello	335.0 m	42.8 m	8204	91400	CMA CGM/France
2006	CMA CGM Don Carlos	335.0 m	42.8 m	8204	89800	E R Schiffahrt/Liberia
2006	CMA CGM Parsifal	335.0 m	42.8 m	8204	89800	E R Schiffahrt/Liberia
2005	Cosco China	335.0 m	42.8 m	8204	91649	E R Schiffahrt/Liberia
2006	Cosco Germany	335.0 m	42.8 m	8204	89800	E R Schiffahrt/Liberia
2006	Cosco Napoli	335.0 m	42.8 m	8204	89800	E R Schiffahrt/Liberia
2005	MSC Lucy	324.8 m	42.80 m	8089	89954	MSC/Panama
2005	MSC Maeva	324.8 m	42.80 m	8089	89954	MSC/Panama
2005	MSC Rita	324.8 m	42.80 m	8089	89954	MSC/Panama
2005	MSC Busan	324.8 m	42.80 m	8089	89954	Offen Claus-Peter/Panama
2005	MSC Beijing	324.8 m	42.80 m	8089	89954	Offen Claus-Peter/Panama
2006	MSC Toronto	324.8 m	42.80 m	8089	89954	Offen Claus-Peter/Panama
2006	MSC Charleston	324.8 m	42.80 m	8089	89954	Offen Claus-Peter/Panama
2005	Ever Champion	339.9 m	42.80 m	8073	90449	NSB Niederelbe/Marshall Islands
2005	Ever Charming	339.9 m	42.80 m	8073	90449	NSB Niederelbe/Marshall Islands
2006	Ever Chivalry	339.9 m	42.80 m	8073	90449	NSB Niederelbe/Marshall Islands
2006	Ever Conquest	339.9 m	42.80 m	8073	90449	NSB Niederelbe/Marshall Islands
2006	Ital Contessa	339.9 m	42.80 m	8073	90449	NSB Niederelbe/Marshall Islands
2005	Lt Cortesia	339.9 m	42.80 m	8073	90449	NSB Niederelbe/Marshall Islands
2006	OOCL Asia	323.0 m	42.80 m	8063	89097	OOCL/Hongkong
2005	OOCL Atlanta	323.0 m	42.80 m	8063	89000	OOCL/Hongkong
2004	OOCL Hamburg	323.0 m	42.80 m	8063	89097	OOCL/Marshall Islands
2003	OOCL Long Beach	323.0 m	42.80 m	8063	89097	OOCL/Marshall Islands
2004	OOCL Ningbo	323.0 m	42.80 m	8063	89097	OOCL/Marshall Islands
2003	OOCL Shenzhen	322.97 m	42.80 m	8063	89097	OOCL/Hongkong
2005	OOCL Tianjin	323.0 m	42.80 m	8063	89097	OOCL/Marshall Islands

Notes
* a more complete list can be found in the German Wikipedia article :de:Containerschiff#Entwicklung der Schiffsgröße.
* The size of a container ship is defined throughout the world in terms of TEU capacity. The exception is the Maersk Line. It does not quote the TEU capacity, but instead the maximum load capacity in terms of filled TEUs with an average 14 tonne load. This value is always less than the raw TEU capacity. These values are noted in the table above.
* Information on true container ship capacities is commercially sensitive and may be several thousand TEUs higher.
* this list have been last updated the 31 July 2006

Future

The trend is for bigger sizes of container ships to reduce costs by economy of scales. In years to come, the limit will be the Suezmax ship, with 12000 TEU. Such vessels would need to displace 137,000 DWT, be 400 meters long, more than 50 meters large, draught nearly 15 meters and more than 85 MW to achieve 25.5 knots. Such designs are certainly already in preparation.

The next step will be the MalaccaMax ship, with 18000 TEU, of 200,000 DWT, 470 meters long, 60 large, 16 draught, with more than 100 MW for 25.5 knots. This should be the limit before major restructuring of world container trade routes. The biggest constraint of this design, the absence of a capable single engine, has been overcome by the MAN B&W K108ME-C. The ultimate problem is the (temporary) absence of a manufacturer capable of producing the 10 meters diameter, 130 tonnes propeller needed for transmitting this power. Other constraints, such as time in port and lack of flexibility of service routes are similar to the constraints that eventually limited the growth in size of the supertankers.

References

* Propulsion Trends in Container Vessels, MAN B&W, 19 January 2005 (accessed 16 November 2005)
* The world in a box — from The Economist magazine, 16 March 2006

External links

*http://www.containership-info.net.tc - containership-info and vessel data base
*http://www.ship-photos.de - ship photos
*http://www.shipspotting.com
*http://www.containerhandbuch.de/chb_e/stra/index.html Container ship handbook in English and German, excellent detail of the varieties of ships and their uses
*http://www.containeronlineshop.com - world largest virtual marketplace for container trade

Container ship "CMA CGM Balzac" in the port of Zeebrugge Belgium.

Rate this Article

Was this article helpful?

Not at all Definitely                  1 2 3 4 5