“If all the Triple-E’s containers were stacked, the tower would almost reach Earth’s stratosphere!”
TRANSPORT
The largest cargo ship in the world The Triple-E container vessel rewrites the concept of what is deemed big, carrying mighty loads across the ocean What is big? A hippopotamus? A giant redwood? An aircraft carrier? No, they were thought of as big – once. Today they are rendered mere dwarfs compared to the Triple-E container vessel, a 165,000-ton, 400-metre (1,312-foot)long behemoth capable of carrying 18,000 containers over thousands of miles. It is quite simply massive and, when viewed close up, looms over human, machine and building alike. For a bit of perspective, the Triple-E can carry so many containers that if they were all stacked on top of each other, the tower would almost reach Earth’s stratosphere. Indeed, the Triple-E is no ordinary container vessel and its construction has required its manufacturer – Danish firm Maersk – to completely redesign almost every component of the freighter. Everything from the hull and the powerplant, through to the propulsion and the deck layout has had to be adjusted to allow for
the creation of a vessel that can safely and efficiently carry such tremendous weight (for a breakdown of these, see the ‘Triple-E anatomy’ diagram). Without many technological advancements the Triple-E would, quite simply, be impractical. Starting from June 2013 the Triple-E – which gets its name from its focus on economy of scale, energy efficiency and environmental protection – is to begin its primary role, braving the long-haul trade passages between Asia and Europe, which are getting ever busier. Here the Triple-E will make use of its new ‘slow-steaming’ method of transport – a process where the vessel travels at a reduced speed in order to deliver significantly reduced fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. This will enable the Triple-E to carry far more goods than any other container ship before it for any given journey and, on top of that, with less impact on the environment.
The statistics… Triple-E Beam: 59m (194ft) Draught: 14.5m (47ft) Height: 73m (239ft) Length: 400m (1,312ft) Deadweight: 165,000 tons Container capacity: 18,000 TEU Top speed: 23 knots (42km/h; 26mph) Engine power: ~60,000kW (~81,577hp)
Triple-E anatomy Take a close-up look at this container-carrying colossus
Propeller Unlike other container vessels, the Triple-E has a twin propeller system. The propellers, which measure 9.8m (32.2ft) in diameter, are quad bladed and allow the ship to cruise smoothly, even in the choppiest waters.
024 | How It Works
Engines
Recovery systems
Containers
Deckhouse
The Triple-E is equipped with two MAN ultra-long-stroke diesel engines, each rated at 32MW (42,913hp). These have a low fuel consumption of 168g/kWh and are designed specifically for slow-steaming (travelling more efficiently at lower speeds) operations.
The ship is equipped with a brace of waste heat recovery (WHR) systems. These convert excess heat from the engines into high-pressure steam to drive an electric turbine. This improves the overall energy efficiency.
A total of 18,000 TEU containers can be carried by the Triple-E. They can house a wide variety of freight ranging from food and drink through to clothing, electronics and more.
The Triple-E’s deckhouse can accommodate 34 people and is located farther forward on the deck than usual; this means containers can be stacked higher in front of the bridge, improving capacity.
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