World’s biggest container ship

TRANSPORT

“ If all the Triple-E’s containers were stacked, the tower would almost reach Earth’s stratosphere!”

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 CO 2 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.

Triple-E anatomy

Take a close-up look at this container-carrying colossus

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)

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.

Engines

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.

Recovery systems

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.

Containers

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.

Deckhouse

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.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Triple-E is 59m (194ft) longer than the formidable USS Enterprise aircraft carrier

Tower

The Triple-E is controlled from a tower mounted to the top of the deckhouse. The forward positioning of the tower allows a clearer and wider viewing angle when the vessel is loaded with containers.

The Triple-E compared

How does the latest member of the Maersk fleet measure up to former container ships? Early container ship (1956)

Length: 137m (449ft) Beam: 17m (56ft) Capacity: 500-800 TEU (20-foot equivalent units)

Fully cellular (1970)

Length: 215m (705ft) Beam: 20m (66ft) Capacity: 1,000-1,500 TEU

Panamax (1980)

Length: 250m (820ft) Beam: 32m (105ft) Capacity: 3,000-3,400 TEU

Panamax Max (1985)

Length: 290m (951ft) Beam: 32m (105ft) Capacity: 3,400-4,500 TEU

Post-Panamax (1988)

Length: 285m (935ft) Beam: 40m (131ft) Capacity: 4,000-5,000 TEU

Post-Panamax Plus (2000)

Length: 300m (984ft) Beam: 43m (141ft) Capacity: 6,000-8,000 TEU

Triple-E (2013)

Length: 400m (1,312ft) Beam: 59m (194ft) Capacity: 18,000 TEU

Bigger than what?

Rows

The deck of the Triple-E is broken down into 23 rows, with each capable of carrying stacked lines of containers. This arrangement grants terminal cranes easier access for loading and unloading.

Hull

The hull of the Triple-E is a flat ‘U’ shape rather than its predecessor’s sharper ‘V’-shaped one. This enables significantly more containers to be stored at lower levels, improving overall capacity by 16 per cent, as well as stability.

London Eye

If the Triple-E were tipped on its end, it would be three times the height of the 135-metre (443-foot)-tall observation wheel on the Thames.

Empire State Building

With the roof of the Empire State at 381 metres (1,250 feet) high, the Triple-E would be 20 metres (65 feet) taller if placed on its end.

Washington Monument

It’s not all about height. Weighing in unloaded at 165,000 tons, the Triple-E is more than double the weight of this iconic Washington landmark.