Emma Maersk: The Largest Cargo Ship in the World

Our Aquatic Correspondent Jeff Davis has been keeping tabs on the launch of the Emma Maersk, the largest container ship in the world, over at his most excellent blog.  Jeff writes:
    After months of speculation overseas about her alleged dimensions and capacity, $38 billion, Denmark-based Maersk Line—the Microsoft of the shipping industry—has officially launched the Emma Maersk, now the largest container ship on the planet. How large? For starters, she's a quarter-mile bow to stern (1,303 ft.), longer than the Saratoga or any aircraft carrier. The ship also reportedly carries the largest diesel engines ever manufactured.

After months of speculation overseas about her alleged dimensions and capacity, $38 billion, Denmark-based Maersk Line—the Microsoft of the shipping industry—has officially launched the Emma Maersk, now the largest container ship on the planet. How large? For starters, she's a quarter-mile bow to stern (1,303 ft.), longer than the Saratoga or any aircraft carrier. The ship also reportedly carries the largest diesel engines ever manufactured.

Now for the Microsoft comparison: Maersk already boats twice the overall fleet capacity of its nearest rival, and its parent company, A.P. Moller-Maersk Group, owns 40 container ports around the world. Why all of this matters? Maersk keeps expanding the economies of scale in shipping, a key driver of trade globalization. Emma cruises at an amazing 27 knots. More amazingly, she requires a crew of just 13.  Result? According to the Financial Times, "it often now costs more to ship a container by road 100km from a port to its final destination than it does to move the container by sea from China to Europe." Maersk, meanwhile, is building 10 more sister ships, just like Emma.