10 Biggest Cargo Ships In The World

A cargo ship is any kind of a ship or any other vessel that transports heavy goods and materials from one port to the other. Another name for cargo ships is freighters and hundreds and thousands of these ships swarm in the seas as they have been tasked with handling a vast majority of international trade.

On the basis of what they carry, the cargo ships have been classified into four categories. These categories include tankers, multi-purpose vessels, general cargo vessels and dry bulk carriers.

Did You Know?

It is interesting to note that the cargo ships date back to the BC era. However, their organised transportation only started later in the second millennium and during this time, pirates were considered to be one of the biggest threats and transporting goods from one place to another was a difficult task.

To allow free movement of these cargo ships and save them from being looted, usually, a combat ship would accompany these ships when it had valuable goods on board!

Here is a list of some of the biggest cargo ships in the world.

10. MV Barzan

Length: 1300 feet
Breadth: 192 feet
Capacity: 18,800 TEU

Built by Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea in 2015 for the United Arab Shipping Company, MV Barzan is an ultra-large cargo ship. With a gross ton of 195,636 and DTW of 199,744, this mammoth cargo ship was the largest container ships during its launch.

MV Barzan is likely to continue to be very popular in the maritime industry since its ‘Energy Efficiency Design Index’ is quoted as almost 50% less than the International Maritime Organization limit set for 2025.

Did You Know?

As of 2015, the MV Barzan cargo ship held the record for the largest container ship!

9. COSCO Shipping Taurus

Length: 1311 feet
Breadth: 192.5 feet
Capacity: 20,119 TEU

COSCO Shipping Taurus was built in 2018 by Waigaoqiao Shipbuilging for the China Ocean Shipping Company Limited. This mono-hull ship’s only purpose is container carriage, with a capacity of 20,119 TEU.

It has a length of 1311 feet and a breadth of 192.5 feet. COSCO Shipping Taurus is registered and sailing under the flag of Hong Kong.  The COSCO Shipping Taurus is a mono-hull ship meant exclusively for container carriage. 

Did You Know?

DNV GL class has five sister ships and it is quite interesting to note that Cosco Shipping has named them all after the five famous constellations – Taurus, Virgo, Libra, Gemini and Sagittarius.

8. MOL Triumph

Length: 1312 feet
Breadth: 193 feet
Capacity: 20,170 TEU

The MOL Triumph was built in 2017 by Samsung Heavy Industries in South Korea for the Mitsui O.S.K. Lines. This huge cargo ship is equipped with highly advanced energy-saving technologies. With an overall length of 1312 feet, a width of 193 feet, and a maximum summer draft of 52.5 feet, MOL Triumph has a total weight of 192,672 DWT.

The ship has various highly advanced energy-saving technologies including low friction underwater paint, high-efficiency rudder, and an improvised propeller, which reduces the water resistance and thus helps to boost up the fuel efficiency.

Did You Know?

Soon after all the works of this cargo ship were completed and it was ready to sail across the oceans, it immediately started to appear in headlines as the world’s first 20,000 TEU-class container ship.

7. MOL Truth

Length: 1312 feet
Breadth: 191 feet
Capacity: 20,182 TEU

Proudly carrying the flag of Panama, this ship is operated by the famous Ocean Network Express (ONE) group of Japan. The manufacturer Saijo shipyards of Imabari Shipbuilding Company Limited has ensured a huge size of 1312 feet long and 191 feet broad.

With a container capacity is of 20,182 TEU, MOL Truth’s optimized hull shape and other advanced technologies used to built it are able to reduce the CO2 emissions of MOL Truth by up to 30%.

Did You Know?

This cargo ship has a dead weight of 189,766 MT and a loading capacity as huge as 20,182 TEU. With this mammoth size, the MOL Truth runs its operations in the Asia-Northern Europe trade route as part of ‘The Alliance.’

6. Ever Golden

Length: 1312 feet
Breadth: 192.9 feet
Capacity: 20,000+ TEU

This ship was built in 2018 by the Imabari Shipbuilding, Saijo shipyard. This ship is the first 20,000 TEU container ship built at Imabari Shipbuilding. The other sister ships of this cargo ship are Goods, Genius, Given and Gifted and all of these have been delivered to Taiwan’s cargo shipping giant EVERGREEN which currently operates it.

The Ever Golden has an effective draught of 12 metres, but lacks in speed, with the maximum recorded speed being 11.4 nautical miles per hour. It carries the flag of Panama.

Did You Know?

This is another giant cargo ship with an unbelievably high DWT of 218,000 MT. Having a length of 1312 feet and a breadth of 192.9 feet, it is longer than four football fields combined.

5. Madrid Maersk

Length: 1312 feet
Breadth: 192.9 feet
Capacity: 20,568 TEU

Of the 11 second generation maersk triple E-class containers built, the Madris has been the very first cargo shop to have been built. Built by Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering, it is the second container ship to surpass the 20,000 TEU mark with a capacity of 20,568 TEU.

With a deadweight Tonnage of 192,672 MT, Madrid Maersk measures 1312 feet in length and 192.9 feet in breadth. The Danish container shipping major Maersk Line has the ownership rights over the ultra large container vessel (ULCV), while it is operated by the A.P.Moller-Maersk Group.

Did You Know?

Although the official capacity rating of the ship was set to 19,630 TEU, Maersk Line successfully modified the design resulting in the breaking of the 20,000 TEU mark.

4. CMA CGM Antoine De Saint Exupery

Length: 1312 feet
Breadth: 193 feet
Capacity: 20,776 TEU

Launched in 2017 and entered into service in February 2018 to serve in the French Asia Line 1 (FAL-1), this ship is 1312 feet long and 193 feet wide and has a dead-weight of 202684 MT.

The Antoine De Saint is totally environmental friendly and has a new generation built-in engine with all top notch equipment. All this energy saving equipment installed in this vessel helps in reducing 25% oil consumption and 4% carbon-di-oxide emissions. With the world-class system of filters and UV lamps for ballast water treatment, this vessel ensures maximum protection of marine biodiversity.

Did You Know?

This ship has been named after the French author and aviator Antoine De Saint Exupery, and it was built by the Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction, Philippines. 

3. COSCO Shipping Universe

Length: 1312 feet
Breadth: 236.22 feet
Capacity: 21,000+ TEU

Breaking the record for China’s largest container ship, the Cosco Shipping Universe has been installed with super ABB turbochargers for optimal fuel efficiency and performance. It has a 21,000 TEU and this pioneering vessel has an overall length of 1312 feet and an overall height of 236.22 feet, with a deadweight of 198,000 tons and a traveling speed of 22 knots. 

The ship has become a flagship vessel of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, which links China’s coast to Europe and Africa through the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean. This huge vessel carries the flag of Hong Kong and also has an important role to play when it comes to the implementation of China’s One Belt One Road initiative.

Did You Know?

With an incredible height of 236 feet, it almost matches the high rise buildings of as many as 24 storeys!

2. OOCL Hong Kong

Length: 1311.9 feet
Breadth: 192.9 feet
Capacity: 21,413 TEU

The OOCL Hong Kong is an engineering marvel produced by the firm Orient Overseas Container Line. The OOCL Hong Kong is the first ship of the G-class ever to cross the 21,000 TEU mark.

This mammoth vessel has been designed and constructed by the Samsung Heavy Industries, Geoje shipyard. It has a carrying capacity of 21,413 TEU. Considered one of the largest container ships to have ever been built, this cargo ship has a length of 1311.9 feet and a depth of 106.6 feet.

Did You Know?

The OOCL Hong Kong has a fuel carrying capacity of a whopping 14,904 cubic metres!

1. HMM Algeciras

Length: 1,312 feet
Breadth: 200 feet
Capacity: 23,964 TEU

Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM) unveiled the biggest cargo ship in the world, the HMM Algeciras, in April 2020. This was done during a ceremony attended by South Korea’s president Moon Jae-in at the Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) shipyard.

HMM Algeciras measures 1,312 feet long and 200 feet wide, which is longer than the height of the Shard at 1,017 feet. However, the ship docked at London Gateway on Sunday after travelling from China via South Korea, the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium.

Did You Know?

The HMM Algeciras is around the same size as four football pitches and had to be modelled on a simulator to ensure it could be carried out safely!