Container ships is an important part of commercial freight transport and thus of the shipping industry, as they now carry the vast majority of seaborne non-bulk cargo. However, there are different types of cargo ships that are used to transport different types of cargo.
Container News compiled the following list showing the largest vessels by category based on the type of cargo they carry.
1. Container Ships – Ever Alot
Ever Alot (IMO: 9893955) built by CSSC and owned by Evergreen Marine Corporation is the largest container ship with a capacity of 24,004 TEUs.
Ever Alot was built in 2022 and is sailing under the flag of Panama. Her current draught is reported to be 13 meters. Her length overall (LOA) is 399.99 meters and her width is 61.54 meters.
2. Bulk carriers – Pacific Flourish
Pacific Flourish (IMO: 9807736) is known as the largest bulk carrier ship that has a carrying capacity of 399,000 tons.
It sails under the Hong Kong flag and was built in China in 2018. Pacific Flourish belongs to the China Merchants Group company and it is a second-generation Valemax-class bulk carrier.
It is 362 meters long and 65 meters wide and its gross tonnage is 203,000 tons. Pacific Flourish has a motor with 32,400 horsepower in total and can reach a speed of over 14 knots.
3. Roll on/Roll off – Tonsberg
Tonsberg (ΙΜΟ: 9216999), constructed by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, is the world’s biggest Ro-Ro vessel owned by Wallenius Wilhelmsen.
It started operations in 2011 and is currently sailing under the flag of Malta. It has an overall length of 265 metres, moulded breadth of 32.26 metres and a design draft of 11 metres, while the gross tonnage of the ship is 76,500gt.
4. LNG Tankers – Al Mafyar
Al Mafyar (ΙΜΟ: 9397315) is the largest LNG tanker in the world. It was built in 2009 with a carrying capacity of 261,043 m³ liquid gas.
The ship is sailing under the flag of Marshall Island, while its current draught is reported to be 9.4 metres, its length overall (LOA) is 345.28 meters and its width is 53.83 meters.
5. Oil Tankers – TI Asia
TI Asia (FSO Asia since 2009-IMO:9224752) is the largest oil supertanker with a deadweight tonnage of 234,006.
It belongs to the TI class of supertankers. The ship is owned and operated by Tankers International as signified by the ‘TI’ in the name. Like all of the other three ships in this class (TI Africa, TI Europe, TI Oceania), TI Asia has a total length of 380 metres. TI Asia was built by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering in South Korea and started operations in 2002.
6. Heavy-Lift ships – Boka Vanguard
Boka Vanguard (ΙΜΟ: 9618783) is the largest Heavy Load Carrier, was built in 2013, and has a capacity of 116,173 DWT.
The ship sails under the flag of Curacao, while its current draught is reported to be 8.7 metres, its length overall (LOA) is 275 metres and its breadth is 70 metres.