The world's largest ship
Follow our journey into the construction of these giant vessels. Triple-E ships will reduce CO2 emissions by more than 50% per container moved. See how energy efficiency, economy of scale and the environment inspired their design.
Maersk Line contracts additional 10 Triple-E vessels
Today, at a signing ceremony in Tokyo, Japan, Maersk Line exercised its option with Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co., Ltd. to build an additional 10 Triple-E ships, the world’s largest and most efficient container vessels.
The event follows Maersk Line's order in February this year for 10 Triple-E vessels with two options - each for an additional 10 ships.
“I am very excited to have signed a contract with Daewoo for 10 more Triple-E ships. We now have twenty Triple-E on order. They underline our strong commitment to the Asia-Europe trade and fit well with our current ambitions and expectations for the future development of the trade. We believe the Triple-E ships with their record capacity and energy efficiency will enable us to deliver on the commercial and environmental expectations of our customers and also give us a significant competitive advantage in the market,” says Eivind Kolding, CEO of Maersk Line.
Maersk Line expects demand on the Asia to Europe trade to increase 5-8% per year during 2011-2015. By introducing the Triple-E vessels from 2013, Maersk Line will be able to meet the increasing demand as well as maintain its market share. The first 10 vessels will be delivered 2013 and 2014; the second 10 vessels are scheduled for delivery in 2014 and 2015.
Called the ‘Triple-E’ class for the three main purposes behind their creation — economy of scale, energy efficiency and environmentally improved — the ships set a new industry benchmark for size and fuel efficiency.
Four-hundred metres long, 59 metres wide and 73 metres high, the Triple-E is the largest vessel of any type on the water today. Its 18,000 TEU (twenty-foot container) capacity is 16 percent greater (2,500 containers) than today’s largest container vessel, Emma Maersk.
The Triple-E will produce 20 percent less CO2 per container moved compared to Emma Maersk and 50 percent less than the industry average on the Asia-Europe trade lane. In addition, it will consume approximately 35 percent less fuel per container than the 13,100 TEU vessels being delivered to other container shipping lines in the next few years, also for Asia-Europe service.
The deadline for exercising the last option for an additional 10 vessels is end of December 2011. At this point Maersk Line does not intend to exercise the option. However, Maersk Line will reserve its right to hold off on any final decision until the deadline.
Contact:
Morten H. Engelstoft, Maersk Line Chief Operating Officer, +45 3363 3534.
Bright lights, big ship
The Triple-E takes on Times Square
The 18,000 containers in a Triple-E vessel would fill Times Square in New York City. Containers would tower over billboards, lights and many buildings. Stacked on top of one another, they would reach 136 meters high, almost nine times the size of King Kong.
Life below deck
How big is the world’s largest ship?
Imagine a basketball court next to a full sized American football stadium and a spectator packed ice hockey arena – all below deck.
Get a sense of the size of the Triple-E
At the helm of change
The construction of ten Triple-E vessels, each capable of carrying 18,000 twenty foot containers, will put Maersk Line at the helm of change. The size and capacity of these vessels, at 400 metres long and 59 metres wide, will help reduce energy consumption and lower CO2 emissions.
Facts at a glance:
• A Triple-E class vessel is equipped with a waste heat recovery system, saving up to 10% of main engine power. This equals the average annual electrical consumption of 5,000 European households.
• The Triple-E class travels 184 kilometres using 1 kWh of energy per ton of cargo, whereas a jumbo jet travels half a kilometre using the same amount of energy per ton of cargo.
• The vessel can carry 18,000 twenty-foot-equivalent units (TEU). If all these containers were to be put on a train - it would need to be 110 km long - and if they were put on top of each other they would almost reach beyond the stratosphere (47 km).
Join us as we follow the construction of these mega vessels.
