World Largest Container Ship Leaves The UK
The world’s joint-largest cargo ship set sail from the UK last week, after arriving from Ningbo on its maiden voyage three days earlier.
The ‘MSC Loreto’ is the same size as its sister ship, the ‘MSC Irina’, and both vessels currently hold the sought after title of the world’s largest container ship.
This year has witnessed several challenges to the title, as plenty of carriers have introduced newly built ULCVs (Ultra Large Container Vessels) into service.
At the turn of the year, the largest ship was the ‘Ever Alot’, which had just previously replaced the ‘Ever Ace’, and is capable of carrying 24,004 TEU.
The record was broken again in March by the 24,114 TEU ‘MSC Tessa’, before the ‘OOCL Spain’ came on line later that same month with a capacity of 24,188 TEU.
However, MSC regained the honour in April when introducing an even bigger ship; the ‘MSC Irina’. Capable of carrying a massive 24,346 TEU, she was also launched with an identically sized sister ship, the ‘MSC Loreto’.
The current world’s top five largest container ships according to Marine Insight are as follows:
- MSC Irina/Loreto – 24,346 TEU
- OOCL Spain – 24,188 TEU
- MSC Tessa – 24,114 TEU
- Ever Alot – 24,004 TEU
- Ever Ace – 23,992 TEU
However, more new ships are due to come on line in the coming months and who would bet against the title changing hands again this year?
