The Emma Maersk can carry 18,000 20-foot equivalent units.
Maersk Line has orders for 61 ships able to carry almost 500,000 20-foot containers — the industry standard, known as 20-foot equivalent units or TEUs — according to Alphaliner data as of March 8, with the 20 megaship options taking the total to 860,000. MSC has orders for 51 ships with a capacity of 550,000 TEUs and CMA for 25 vessels able to carry 260,000 TEUs.
Li Shaode, chairman of China Shipping Container Lines Co., the world’s 10th-biggest container line, according to Alphaliner, said in an interview that Maersk’s choice of 18,000 TEU vessels isn’t the only way to boost competitiveness.
“It’s not necessarily the bigger the better,” Li said March 4. “Bigger ships do help cut costs, but their usage depends on the market situation. We have our own strategies to compete, such as cost control, sailing speed control, increasing cooperation with clients and sharing routes.”