The Suez fiasco shows why ever bigger container ships are a problem
CNN
The blockage of a crucial global trade route last week by a 224,000-ton container ship has raised questions over whether vessels have become too large for the waterways they navigate.
The Ever Given, which ran aground in the Suez Canal last Tuesday, is in the top 1% globally in terms of vessel size, according to shipping insurer Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty. At 400 meters (1,312 feet), the ship is as long as the Empire State building is tall and can carry up to 20,000 containers. The largest ships in the world can carry up to 24,000 containers and measure over 61 meters (200 feet) at their widest point — wider than a standard American football field. Over the past 50 years, the container carrying capacity of the biggest ships has increased 1,500%, and doubled over the past decade alone, according to AGCS.More Related News