MSC China, part of the world’s largest container shipping group, was delivered to its owner in Shanghai, China, on October 9.
With a capacity of 24,116 TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units), MSC China is one of the largest container ships in the world to be delivered, surpassing the Ever Alot, which has a capacity of 24,004 TEU. MSC China was constructed by Hudong Zhonghua Shipyard (HZS), a subsidiary of the China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC).
Container ship MSC China in Shanghai, China, on October 9. (Photo: CMG).
According to Gu Lijun, the technical director at HZS, the largest series of container ships consists of four vessels, with MSC China being the last one delivered. The first ship, MSC Tessa, was delivered in March.
MSC China measures 399.99 meters in length, 61.5 meters in width, and 33.2 meters in height, with a deck area equivalent to about four standard football fields. The maximum stacking of containers can reach up to 25, comparable to the height of a 22-story building. The ship can carry over 240,000 tons of cargo.
MSC China is equipped with high-tech, environmentally friendly systems, such as a sulfur scrubber. The ship features a small pear-shaped bow, a large diameter propeller, and energy-saving ducts.
Additionally, the vessel employs a bubble drag reduction system and a co-axial generator motor system for the first time, allowing it to carry more cargo while consuming less fuel and emitting less CO2. With an Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) and an optimized fuel consumption rate, the ship can reduce emissions by approximately 6,000 tons annually.
So far, Jiangnan Shipyard and HZS, both subsidiaries of CSSC, have developed and delivered 13 ultra-large container ships, making Shanghai one of the world’s leading centers for research, development, and construction of ultra-large container vessels.
