Container ships sure have changed a lot.
The world’s first purpose-built container vessel was built in 1955, and in the last 58 years they have changed to accommodate the growing needs of society and our reliance on cargo that is shipped from one side of the world to the other.
So how do the ships of yesteryear compare with our mega ships of today? Let’s take a look.
Image credit: shipspotting.com
Isn’t she a beauty?
This is the Clifford J. Rogers
Built: 1955 in Montreal
Length: 102.24m
Width: 14.33m
Capability: 168 caissons (no TEU back at this point. A caisson measured eight by eight by seven feet)
Crew members: 15
Operating speed: 11.75 knots (22kmh, 13.5mph) – max speed of 13knots (24kmh, 14.9mph)
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She’s a big one!
This is the MSC Zoe
Built: 2015 in South Korea
Length: 395m
Width: 59m
Capability: 19224TEU (Twenty Equivalent Unit)
Crew members: 22
Operating speed: 22.8knots
The MSC Zoe was named after the granddaughter of MSC’s president and chief executive.
How much bigger will container ships be in the future?
image credit: marinetraffic.com
