The 15 Biggest Container Ships In Service Right Now

Last weeks, the world's oceans got that little bit more crowded when shipping line MSC put its newest container ship into service for the first time. The record-breaking MSC Irina became the largest container ship in service thanks to its eye watering 24,346-container capacity.

But in an ocean filled with enormous vessels, how do the other ships out there stack up against the biggest of the lot? To find out, we've rounded up the 15 largest container ships in service right now, each ranked according to their maximum container-carrying capacity.

So sit back, relax and revel at some of the largest vehicles roaming our oceans today.

Length: 1,309.1 feetWidth: 190.3 feetCapacity: 20,182

When it launched in 2017, the MOL Truth was Japan's first vessel to be capable of carrying more than 20,000 TEU containers, which each measure 20 feet long, 8'0" wide and usually 8'6" high

Length: 1,309.1 feetWidth: 192 feetCapacity: 20,568

Formerly the world's largest container ship, the Madrid Maersk is one of 11 identical container ships ordered by Danish shipping company Maersk Line in the early 2010s.

Length: 1,312.3 feetWidth: 193.6 feetCapacity: 20,954 containers

From this point on, the ships on this list don't really change in length, as they're all around 1,312.3 feet long thanks to size limits in the world's ports and essential shipping routes, such as the Panama Canal.

Length: 1,312.3 feetWidth: 192 feetCapacity: 21,237 containers

With space to hold as many as 21,237 shipping containers, the COSCO Shipping Solar has the capacity to carry just 0.12 percent of the world's containers at any one time.

Length: 1,312 feetWidth: 193 feetCapacity: 21,413 containers

Another former world's largest container ship was launched by Chinese shipping line OOCL. The Hong Kong is the lead ship in the company's fleet of G-Class vessels and was the first ship capable of carrying ore than 21,000 containers.

Length: 1,312 feetWidth: 201 feetCapacity: 23,112 containers

Launched just three years ago, the Jacques Saadé is operated by French shipping company CMA CGM and holds the title of being the world's largest liquid natural gas-powered container ship.

Length: 1,312 feetWidth: 200.1 feetCapacity: 23,656 containers

The MSC Nela is the first entry in our list for the Mediterranean Shipping Company, which currently operates four of the ten largest container ships in the world.

Length: 1,312 feetWidth: 202 feetCapacity: 23,756 containers

The MSC Gülsün is the flagship of the Gülsün class of container-carrying vessels. Launched in 2019, the enormous ship can carry more than 23,500 containers in rows of 24 across.

Length: 1,312 feetWidth: 202 feetCapacity: 23,820 containers

The Algeciras class ships operated by South Korean shipping firm HMM comprises vessels constructed by Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering and Samsung Heavy Industries. HMM St Petersburg came from the latter and has the capacity to carry 23,820 containers.

Length: 1,312 feetWidth: 200.1 feetCapacity: 23,964 containers

HMM Algeciras is what you get when Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering builds your ship, and that's space to hold a whole 144 more 20-foot containers.

Length: 1,312 feetWidth: 202 feetCapacity: 23,992 containers

The Evergreen A-class fleet of vessels is another raft of ships that can carry varying amounts of stuff depending on where they were built. In the case of the Ever Ace, its construction at Samsung Heavy Industries means it can carry 23,992 containers.

Length: 1,312 feetWidth: 202 feetCapacity: 24,004 containers

The big sister ships in the A-class fleet were built by both the Jiangnan Shipyard and the Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding company in China. These ships were the first vessels to be able to carry more than 24,000 containers.

Length: 1,312 feetWidth: 202 feetCapacity: 24,116 containers

Only delivered to shipping company MSC earlier this year, the container ship Tessa had about a month in the spotlight as the world's largest container ship. Until something bigger came along shortly after its launch.

Length: 1,312 feetWidth: 201.1 feetCapacity: 24,188 containers

Pipping the Tessa to the post by just 72 containers is the OOCL Spain, which is one of six massive container ships OOCL is currently having constructed. The ship has been designed with several energy-saving features, including a bulbous bow and propeller front shroud.

Length: 1,312 feetWidth: 201.1 feetCapacity: 24,346 containers

The biggest of the bunch is the container ship Irinia, which was launched by shipping company MSC earlier this year. The ship is an absolute monster, and bears a few striking similarities to the Empire State Building thanks to its dimensions and capacity.

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