Ships just get bigger

The Matz Maersk Triple E is the largest ship ever built. It can carry 18,000 containers, its propellers weigh 70 tonnes and it’s set to be the future of international shipping. Shipping companies are building even larger ships to try to beat the rising costs of fuel. Owned and operated by AP Moeller-Maersk, of Denmark and the world’s largest container shipping company, the Triple-Es went into service last year. There only 13 ports capable of handling this oversized ship in the world at present – and none are in New Zealand. These super-ships are equipped with engines designed to save energy. They are slower, but have fuel savings of 35 per cent and produce half the amount of carbon dioxide. The largest ship New Zealand ports can accommodate is five times less the tonnage of the Triple E class.