The Absurd Number Of Containers That Fit On A Container Ship

Container ships are an astonishing feat of human innovation and engineering. Their size, weight, and capability to carry gargantuan loads of cargo across large expanses of the ocean have revolutionized transportation in the modern world. Current estimates indicate that over 90% of all goods are transported by container ships, which enable global trade and commerce on a daily basis. According to a study conducted by Statista, there are nearly 5,600 container ships currently plying the various trade routes globally, and more are expected to be built in the next few years to meet the projected increase in additional transport demand.

A container ship, or "box ship" as it is sometimes called, are large ocean-going vessels that carry dry cargo in intermodal shipping containers. The difference between container ships and general cargo ships is that container ships use standardized cargo in terms of size, either as a 20-foot container unit or a 40-foot container unit. These containers are placed strategically in different areas of the ship to maximize the number of containers that the ship can carry.

While having the same general appearance and design, container ships are classified based on their size and carrying capacity — which pushes up to 24,000 TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units). Currently, there are seven size designations that include small feeder, feeder, feeder max, feedermax, Panamax, Post-Panamax, Neopanamax, and the ultra-large container vessel.

Despite being designated as "small," a small-size container ship like the MV Maria Reina is actually able to carry up to 1,000 TEU, while a medium-sized container ship similar to the MV COSCO Guangzhou can carry 9,500 TEU. To better illustrate how much space a single TEU covers: 1 TEU is equivalent to a 150 square-foot area, and can fit two cars, 193 bicycles, or 4,000 shoe boxes.

Moving on to the largest-size container ship, the ultra-large container vessel category is capable of carrying upwards of 20,000 TEU. The Maersk Triple E class of ships belongs to this designation, and its Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller was, at the time of its launch in 2013, the biggest container ship in the world. This giant vessel can carry up to 18,230 TEU's, a record it held for just a year when it was surpassed by the CSCL Globe of China Shipping Container Lines in 2014, which had a 19,100 TEU capacity.

Currently, the largest container ships put out to sea so far are the Irina class vessels of the MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company. The Irina class is composed of two ships — the MSC Irina, and the MSC Loreto — and both of these vessels can load up to 24,346 TEU's. In order to carry this immense number of containers, the Irina class ships are almost 400 meters in length and a little over 61 meters wide, which is the equivalent of nearly four football fields laid end to end.

Because of their very large cargo capacity, container ships are a very cost and time-effective means of transportation. Their very purpose essentially facilitates economies around the world that benefit not just the manufacturer and importer, but the consumer as well. Such is the importance of container ships, that any delay or interruption in their regular routes can have an immediate effect on the global supply chain. This was seen during the recent COVID-19 global pandemic, when health and safety restrictions canceled the sailing schedules of many container ships. This, in turn, resulted in factories closing down due to a lack of supplies and shortages of imported products around the world.

It is worth noting that despite being commonplace today, container ships are a relatively new invention, only first being implemented in 1956 when the world's first shipping container was invented by American entrepreneur Malcom McLean. Considered as one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century, this innovation revolutionized logistics and was the turning point on how cargo handling and transport are done today.

From clothing, cars, food, and electronics, container ships continuously deliver vital goods and supplies around the world every day. Their simple, yet critical function will continue to drive economic growth in today's interconnected global community.