Giants of the seas: planning for the world’s largest container ships

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Container ships seem to be getting larger and larger. The CSCL Globe, Maersk’s Triple-Es and the MSC Oscar are more than three times bigger than the typical 6,000teu vessel from 20 years ago. Does this rapid development mean ships will continue to get larger? Perhaps not, as there is a limit to how big a ship can get. The limitations are determined by the size and depth of the major global harbors, by how tidal waves will be impacted by the arrival of such huge vessels, and by the architecture of the world’s trade arteries – the Suez and Panama canals.