1). “World's Biggest Containership | Mega Transports | Free Documentary”, 2021, Anon, Free Documentary, at < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7Espb0afMw >

2). “Superships - Giants of the Sea | Full Documentary”, Mar 30, 2023, Anon, Free Documentary, at < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McktiIo3qK8 >

3). “This is an incredible visualization of the world's shipping routes”, Mar 22, 2017, Brad Plumer,Vox, at < https://www.vox.com/2016/4/25/11503152/shipping-routes-map >

4). “How Much Bigger Can Container Ships Get?”, Jul 20, 2022, John Garland, Asiana USA,

at < https://www.asianausa.com/how-much-bigger-can-container-ships-get/ >

5). “Evolution of Containerships”, The Geography of Transport Systems: The Spatial Organization of Transportation and Mobility, 5^th Edition, Chapter 5, 2020, Jean-Paul Rodrigue, New York: Routledge, at < https://transportgeography.org/contents/chapter5/maritime-transportation/evolution-containerships-classes/ >

~~recommended by dmorista ~~

Introduction by dmorista: The struggle for control of Yemen, the latest iteration of which took place over the past 10 years or so; has now led to attacks that began in mid-November of 2023, on Commercial and Naval Shipping in the Red Sea. These attacks on shipping are mounted by the forces called “the Houthis” in the Corporate Controlled U.S. Media. U.S. and U.K. Naval forces have tried to interdict these Houthi operations, using missiles the cost a couple of million dollars each to shoot down drones that cost a couple of thousand dollars each, and have also attacked several times bases thought to harbor Houthi forces. The latest of these counterstrikes took place over the past few days in mid-January of 2024.

The result of the numerous attacks on cargo ships has led to several shipping companies, whose ships comprise over 90% of the shipping traffic moving between Europe and Asia, to decide to use the much longer route around the Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of Africa, rather than passing through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. That change in route can add from a week/10 days, to over a month to a voyage, depending on the speed of the cargo ships and their ultimate destination. The number of ships that pass through the Suez Canal per year is generally on the order of 15,000 ship passages per year. As compared to sailing around Africa, passing through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal saves about 6,000 nautical miles and anywhere from a week / 10 days up to nearly a month. But the danger from attacks in the Southern section of the Red Sea is now high enough that traffic through the Suez Canal has fallen precipitously. Map 1 shows the changes in ship traffic, in response to the Houthi attacks and the less than completely effective military and naval actions taken by the U.S. and the U.K. so far.

The Capitalist enterprises of the world are now dependent on the global movement of raw materials, intermediate materials, and the finished industrial products across the oceans; and done at the lowest possible monetary cost. Though the environmental and socio-economic costs of these activities are very high, this method of transportation allows capitalists to use the lowest-paid reliable labor for their various fuctions. Furthermore, this ocean-borne freight system depends also on public and quasi-public entities providing ever-deeper and ever-larger port facilities; yet another cost not paid for by the Capitalists themselves. Also the system enables capitalists to purchase their raw materials from the cheapest possiible sources move them to the lowest cost and highest quality places to actually produce the products they wish to sell. The resultant flows of trade are shown in Map 2). below.

There is even disagreement on just how many functioning ports there are on the Earth. One authoritative website states that: “There are 835 active seaports and inland ports of varying sizes on the planet.”; while another states that it is: “Lloyd’s List interactive online portal offering you comprehensive information and key characteristics on: 2,916 Ports, 4,161 Harbours, 15,410 Wharves and 1,860 Berths”. (See, “Largest Ports in the World”, updated Apr 4, 2021, Anon, ShipaFreight, at < https://www.shipafreight.com/knowledge-series/largest-ports-in-the-world/ >: and “About Ports”, 2024, Anon, Lloyd's List, at < https://directories.lloydslist.com/ >). One thing is certain, largest ports embark the lion's share of the cargoes, that is true both for the Container Ship ports, as well as oil and natural gas ports, other natural resource ports, and even for Cruise ship Passenger ports.

Over 90% of the bulk commodities used by, and the manufactured goods produced by, the various Capitalist and Semi-Capitalist societies on Earth move around the globe in ships. These ships have grown to enormous sizes and now compose a fleet of well over 58,000 cargo ships of all types along with passenger vessels. Some authors claim that there are now about 100,000 ships of all types plying the world's oceans. As time has passed by these ships have kept getting larger and larger, necessitating massive port dredging and canal widening projects by various cities and countries. The negative consequences of the ship traffic and the many infrastructural projects to support that trade are huge. The human population is now a bit over 8 billion and their many needs and desires, by necessity, strain the Earth's resources to support that size population. The Situation at the Bab al Mandeb Strait and the Suez Canal are acute problems but these locations are not unique in their vulnerabilities. The Suez Canal has been closed due to problems with sunken or disabled ships in the channels on several occassions. From 1957 to 1965 the canal was closed as a result of a war with Israel, and in 2021 it was shut for several days due to the container ship the Ever Given having turned perpendicular to the lines of traffic, gotten stuck in the mud and sand, and totally blocked the canal. The other major globally important canal, the Panama Canal is operating under reduced traffic restrictions due to a shortage of water, caused by low rainfall, in the river impoundment that holds water needed to operate the canal's locks. Work is underway to provide a second impoundment lake to supply water for canal operations. Political and physical problems at other places on Earth could seriously impede shipping operations. Map 3 shows where several of the potential problem areas are located.

The current situation also reflects the changing reality of economic, political, and military power. Bar Chart 1 reflects these changes. Of the top 10 ports that handle container ships 7 are located in China including Shanghai, the number 1 container port on Earth. 2 of the remaining 3 are located in East Asia, and only 1, the combined port of Los Angeles / Long Beach, is located in the U.S., and it ranked 9^th in TEUs loadings from 2017 – 2021 (TEUs are Twenty Foot Equivalent Units, two of which make one typical 40 foot long shipping container, the world standard). And we should note that Container Ship ports are a specialized type of port and Container Ships, while important and prominent in the public view, are only 1 type of ship among the 7 major categories of ocean-going vessels; and they only comprise something like 5% – 9.5% of the operational ships. Of the Top 20, 8 are in China, 6 are in East Asia, 3 are in Europe, 2 are in the U.S., and 1 is in an oil state in the Middle East. If we look at the top 59 Container Ports on Earth 21 are in China, 13 are in East Asia, 10 are in Europe, 5 are in the U.S. / Canada, 3 are in Middle Eastern Oil States, 3 are in South America, and 4 are in other miscellaneous places. The list of the top 59 Container Ports actually was for the top 60, but it separated Los Angeles and Long Beach, using that methodology the U.S. / Canada has 6 of the world's top 60 Container Ports. (See, “The Top 50 Container Ports: These are the biggest container ports in the world, the hubs that keep global trade moving”, n.d., Anon, World Shipping Council, at < https://www.worldshipping.org/top-50-ports >, and yes the list at the website is of the top 60 Container Ports despite the name).

Of course Container Ships are, along with Oil Tankers and Cruise Ships, the best-known of different types of Cargo Vessels plying the world's oceans. There are 8 main categories of ships as shown here below in Bar Graph 2. Container Ships and Passenger Ships are, in total numbers, ranked 5^th and 6^th respectively. But since the containers, piled high on the decks of these ships, represent the move of higher paid industrial jobs to China, East Asia, and other Global South locations; and the occassional mishap sicken or kill large numbers of people, either involving a cruise ship, an auto ferry, or some overloaded passenger ferry in some of the heavily inhabited islands in the Indonesian Archipelago. Their spectacular accidents and/or sloppy food preparation affect large numbers of people

According to these figures published by Statistica there were 58,228 operational cargo vessels in the World Fleet as of Jan 1, 2022

There has been a gradual increase in the size of all types of ships. The first early container ships were converted oil tankers, of relatively modest size, and carried no more than a few hundred TEUs. The ship that is the subject of the documentary video in Item 1)., “World's Biggest Containership | Mega Transports ….” was built and went into service just 3 or 4 years ago and it can carry 21,000 TEUs. Just in the few years since the documentary was made new classes of Container Ships have been built that can accommodate over 24,000 TEUs. Figure 1 is a graphic that demonstrates visually the decades long increase in the size of Container Ships.

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This is an incredible visualization of the world's shipping routes

Each year, more than 11 billion tons of stuff gets carried around the world by large ships. Clothes, flat-screen TVs, grain, cars, oil — transporting these goods from port to port is what makes the global economy go 'round.

Now there's a great way to visualize this entire process, through this stunning interactive map from the UCL Energy Institute:

You can use the toggles at the top of the map to break down the ships by type — container ships (yellow), dry bulk carriers (blue), oil and fuel tankers (red), gas carriers (green), and ships transporting vehicles (purple) — or zoom in on different regions.

The researchers assembled data from the thousands of commercial ships that moved across the ocean in 2012. They then worked with the data visualization studio Kiln to make this map. Here are a few neat highlights from playing around with the thing:

1) You can trace the outlines of continents solely by looking at shipping routes

You can toggle the map so that it only shows major shipping routes and nothing else. Even here, you can clearly see the continents, save for the region above the Arctic circle, where few ships travel. (Though that may change as summer sea ice keeps receding.)

You can also see a few of the major river routes where large ships can navigate — like the Amazon River in northern Brazil, or the St. Lawrence River that allows ships to travel from the Atlantic to the Great Lakes, or the complex Volga-Baltic waterway in Russia.

It's also easy to spot some hubs of the global economy with this map. The red lines above trace ships carrying liquid fuels — crude oil or gasoline. As you can see, both Louisiana and Texas are major hydrocarbon hubs. There are also thick red lines streaming out of the Valdez Terminal in Alaska, which is at the southern end of the Alaska Pipeline, bringing oil from fields in the north.

2) There's a major shipping choke point around Malaysia and Singapore

One of the most important shipping lanes on the planet is the Strait of Malacca, the shortest route between the Pacific and Indian Oceans, which you can see here as a congested line of ships traveling past Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. About 40 percent of world trade passes through this strait each year, including much of the crude oil that goes from the Middle East to China.

But the narrow strait is also vulnerable to disruption — and in recent years, there's been an uptick of pirate attacks in these straits. Technically, the three bordering states — Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia — are responsible for security in this region, defending it against piracy, but because it's so crucial, the US, China, India, and Japan have all provided assistance in securing the region.

Unfortunately, there's no easy way around. Ships that can't fit through the strait (its minimum depth is about 82 feet) have to take a detour of thousands of miles further south.

3) In 2012, most ships steered clear of Somalia

Starting around 2005, armed pirates from Somalia began stepping up raids on ships traveling around the Horn of Africa. Some analysts argued that illegal fishing by foreign boats in the region had initially driven many Somali fishermen to form armed militias to defend their waters. But those groups later turned to seizing cargo ships and holding the crews for ransom.

By 2012, pirates were costing commercial ships between $900 million and $3.3 billion per year. And, as you can see from the maps above, many ships were steering clear of Somalia's coast after emerging from the Mandeb Strait between Yemen and Djibouti, which leads up to the Suez Canal.

But that was also peak Somali piracy. In the years since, raids seems to have declined dramatically. Shipping companies increased their on-boat security while various militaries deployed armed ships to patrol the region. By most accounts, it seems to have worked.

4) Ships have to move in neat routes through tight spaces like the English Channel

The researchers note that "while ships can move freely through the open ocean, routes are predetermined closer to land." This is evident in the English Channel, where ships need to move in nice, neat lanes — as if it were a two-lane highway.

5) You can see ships waiting their turn at the Panama Canal

Each year, nearly 15,000 ships pass through the Panama Canal connecting the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Only a few ships can go through the narrow locks at a time as they are slowly raised and lowered using water from the lake above. So ships anchor outside the canal, sometimes for weeks, while they wait their allotted turn. (All told, about 30 to 40 large ships pass through the canal each day.)

To handle the next generation of large container ships, the Panama Canal is undergoing an expansion, with an additional set of locks on both the Atlantic and the Pacific. Even this expansion, however, won't be able to handle the very largest set of container ships — which can be as big as four football fields laid end-to-end.

So what do those behemoths do? Nicaragua has thought about building its own, bigger canal to accommodate these ships, but that may never get built (and is a fiasco for a whole host of reasons). So, for now, the big ships still have to go all the way around South America.

6) The world's ships are a major source of carbon dioxide emissions

There's a huge cost to all this shipping. The ships have to burn a lot of bunker fuel, and in 2012, they ended up emitting some 796 million tons of carbon dioxide. The researchers note that that's more than "the whole of the UK, Canada or Brazil emit in a year." Or, put another way, shipping is responsible for some 3 to 4 percent of man-made greenhouse gas emissions.

Now, this is still much more efficient than shipping all that stuff by land or air. Still, researchers have been looking into ways to shrink the shipping industry's carbon footprint. Nate Berg ran through some of the best ideas here: "From technological improvements such as retrofitted rudders and propellers to enhanced weather routing, shipping companies are eyeing many ways to improve their efficiency."

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How Much Bigger Can Container Ships Get - Asiana USA

logistics-and-transportation

In cargo shipping, increased efficiency and capacity are always crucial goals. In recent years, dedicated container ships (colloquially known as box boats) have increased in size as operators attempt to cram in more goods and containers.

How many containers can a ship carry today, and just how much bigger can this type of seagoing vessel get? Some experts believe there is no limit to the size of container ships, while others suggest that further increases may not be practical or economical.

How Did the Panama Canal Expansion Project Affect Shipping Size?

The completion of the $5.25 billion Panama Canal Expansion project in 2016 made way for New Panamax ships, which are almost two times larger than the earlier Post-Panamax Plus container ships.

The Panama Canal expansion project significantly impacted the future of shipping and the size of container ships. Before the expansion, the canal could only accommodate box boats and other vessels up to a certain size. As a result, the age of container ships was called into question, and future vessels are being designed to meet this size restriction.

However, with the canal’s expansion, larger vessels can now transit fully loaded through the canal. This is expected to significantly impact future trade routes, the global economy, and container ports.

To remain competitive after this expansion, shipping ports in the United States and around the world need to be dredged, and bridges need to be raised to accommodate box boats with an individual container ship capacity of 18,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units).

How Did the 2021 Suez Canal Obstruction Affect Container Shippin

In March 2021, the Ever Given—an ultra-large container ship nearly as long as the Empire State Building is tall—became wedged across Egypt’s Suez Canal on its wait to the container port, blocking one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world.

The incident caused a week-long traffic jam of over 400 vessels, significantly disrupting container traffic and slowing the flow of billions of dollars worth of goods. As a result, container shipping rates soared, and supply chains were thrown into disarray worldwide.

According to Marine Insight, the Ever Given was seized and grounded for 106 days after it was freed, during which Egypt and the Port Said authorities negotiated with the Evergreen Marine Corporation, the ship’s owner.

The Suez Canal is a crucial link in the global supply chain, connecting the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea. Every day, more than 50 ships carrying millions of dollars worth of goods transit the Suez Canal.

The Ever Given’s blockage of the Suez’s port facilities caused a backlog of vessels waiting to enter the canal, while those already in the canal were forced to wait until the ship was freed. The delay cost businesses worldwide as perishable goods spoiled and factories ran out of raw materials. One estimate put the total cost of the incident at over $10 billion.

While the Ever Given has now been freed and Suez Canal’s shipping lanes have reopened, the incident has underscored just how vulnerable global supply chains are to disruption. Businesses will need to reconsider their reliance on just-in-time inventory models and look for ways to diversify their product transportation models.

Largest Container Ships

Modern container ships are giant vessels operated by major container line companies that can carry tens of thousands of containers at a time. Here are some of the most notable of these vessels.

The Ever Ace, The World’s Biggest Container Ship

The Ever Ace was built by Samsung Heavy Industries and launched in 2021. It is currently operated by Evergreen Marine, the world’s 7th largest container line, and was certified as the world’s largest ship designed to carry containers on July 30, 2021.

This Evergreen A-class container ship is 400 meters long (or equivalent to over 10 tug boats lengthwise) and can transport over 24,000 TEU of cargo.

The Ever Ace is just one example of the giant ships that ply the world’s oceans, carrying everything from manufactured goods to perishables. These massive vessels are a vital part of the global economy, and their size continues to increase as demand for maritime shipping grows.

Maersk Triple E-Class Vessels

The Maersk Line Triple E-class vessel is another one of the largest cargo ships in the world. These ships are enormous, measuring approximately 400 meters in length and carrying up to 18,270 TEUs, or about 9,135 forty-foot containers (one forty-foot container equals two TEUs).

Maersk Line, the world’s second-largest container line behind the Mediterranean Shipping Company, currently operates 31 vessels in this class, for a combined total carrying capacity of over 580,000 TEUs (approx. 290,000 forty-foot container equivalents).

With a beam length of 59 meters, it belongs to a size category titled Ultra Large Container Vessel (ULCV), the largest cargo ship category to date. Although it cannot fit through the Panama canal, the primary purpose of Maersk Line Triple E-class vessels is to operate on the Asia-Europe route (e.g., Hong Kong to European Union countries), as it is capable of crossing the Suez Canal.

Maersk Line Triple E-class vessels are designed to maximize container traffic efficiency, minimize costs and play a vital role in international trade. They have made it possible to transport goods cheaper and more quickly than ever before and have helped boost the global economy.

However, some critics argue that these ships are too large and pose a risk to the environment. Nevertheless, Maersk Line Triple E vessels show no signs of slowing down, and they look set to dominate the world of maritime transportation for years to come.

These mega vessels are 23-container wide across and can stack 10 individual containers high on the top deck and 8 individual containers high below deck. They have 24 bays and carry between 18,000 and 21,000 TEUs or 9,000 to 10,500 forty-foot containers.

The TEUs are a unit that indicates the number of containers the ships can carry. The Triple-E can carry between 18,000-21,000 twenty-foot containers or up to 165,000 tons.

Malaccamax-Class Ships

Another one of the largest ship classes in the world is the Malaccamax, which made its maiden voyage in 2016. A Malaccamax-class ship is 1,200 feet long and can carry 20,000 containers. It can travel up to 25 miles per hour and has a cargo capacity of 2.1 million cubic feet. The ship class is named after the Strait of Malacca, a major point of the Asia-Europe Route.

The Malaccamax is part of a new class of container ship that is larger and faster than most of its predecessors. Malaccamax-class vessels are among the largest container ships in the world, designed to take advantage of the changing landscape of the global container traffic. Their massive size and total capacity allow them to transport more goods more quickly and efficiently than ever.

Malaccamax is a powerful symbol of maritime commerce’s changing face and will profoundly impact the world economy.

The Future of Container Ships

The earliest container ships were launched in the 1950s, revolutionizing maritime trade. These vessels could carry large numbers of containers, which significantly increased the energy efficiency of cargo transport. Today, 21st-century container ships are an essential part of the global economy and are only getting larger.

Some experts predict that future container ships will be so large that they will be able to carry over one million cubic feet of cargo. Most container ports, from Hong Kong to the Suez Canal, would need significant upsizing projects to fit these potential future vessels.

Such massive container ships would have a profound impact on the global container traffic, and they would greatly increase the efficiency of maritime trade.

With the growing demand for goods across the world from major export countries such as China, the United States, Germany, Japan, and Hong Kong, the need for these future vessels to carry more in one trip will also continue to grow.

The Benefits of Using Bigger or Smaller Container Ships

While using the biggest container ships available may seem like the best option for long distances, this is not always the case. Giant ships create container port bottlenecks, further slowing the shipping trade route. Additionally, the largest ship classes cannot fit through common maritime trade destinations and container port facilities, such as the Panama Canal (e.g., Super-Panamax).

Exporters operating on the Asia-Europe Route often find that smaller vessels, with a container ship capacity of around 12,000-14,000 20-foot container equivalents, offer versatility that larger ships don’t have.

However, besides carrying higher container cargo volumes, the primary advantage offered by the biggest container ships is better fuel economy than smaller vessels.

Smaller ships tend to output more harmful carbon gas emissions into the atmosphere, which is a concern for their impacts on global climate change. According to Marine Insight, most large cargo ships can moderate their speed to save fuel and reduce emissions (this practice is known as slow steaming).

In an era where shipping companies want to be viewed as eco-friendly, erring on the side of larger ships may be a better choice.

Container Lines Face Rising Cost to Charter Container Ships

Rent is a problematic factor in the rising costs of container lines’ rental of ships. Between July 2018 and 2019, the costs of chartering rose by over 20%. Many container line companies own half of their fleet and charter out the other half, which makes rental costs a significant expense for many container lines.

The cost of chartering a container ship has risen even more in recent years due to a number of factors. One of the main factors is the increasing price of Orient Overseas Container Line Mitsui O.S.K. Lines oil, which affects both the cost of fuel for the ship and the cost of shipping containers made from steel.

Another factor is the rising demand for shipping containers as global trade continues to grow. This has led to a shortage of available individual containers, which has driven up charter rates.

Finally, the ongoing pandemic and resulting economic downturn have resulted in delays and cancelations of ship sailings. Despite the challenges of the economic downturn, the demand for container ships remains strong as businesses around the world continue to rely on them to move goods around the globe.

Big Ocean Ships Equal Big Problems But Small Benefits

Modern container ships have become larger in recent years thanks to advances in shipbuilding technology, allowing a container line to transport more cargo without expanding their fleet. While this has resulted in more efficient transportation of goods, the increased container ship capacity has also led to a number of negative consequences.

The larger size of these vessels makes them more difficult to maneuver, and they are more likely to cause damage to docks and other infrastructure.
The size of the biggest cargo ships has also led to increased shipping traffic, leading to congestion in busy container ports.
The larger size of these ships makes them more difficult to inspect, posing a security risk. In light of these downsides, it is clear that the growing size of cargo ships is not without its challenges.

Why Modern Container Ships Might (Literally) Sail the High Seas Again

There are many factors to consider when deciding whether to use sailing cargo ships or motorized vessels for shipping goods. One crucial factor is cost: motorized vessels are typically more expensive to operate than sailing cargo vessels, primarily due to the cost of fuel.

Another factor to consider is speed. Motorized vessels can travel much faster than sailing cargo ships, meaning they can make more trips in a shorter period.
However, sailing cargo ships have several advantages as well. They are more environmentally friendly than motorized vessels and can navigate through shallow waters that motorized vessels cannot reach.

In addition, sailing cargo ships are less likely to be damaged in rough weather conditions. As a result, there is no clear answer as to which type of vessel is best for shipping goods. The best choice depends on the specific needs of the shipper.

Because of the concern for pollution and carbon emissions from traditional carbon fuel-powered ships, the International Windship Association is pushing for projects to develop sailing cargo ships as a greener alternative to container ships.

Other groups, such as the Smart Green Shipping Alliance, believe lower emissions can be achieved with a combination of clean fuel sources and wind sailing technology.

What Should Be Done to Prevent Fires on Modern Container Ships?

Although modern container ships are primarily built out of steel, fire remains one of the primary dangers. Every year, hundreds of container ships and other seagoing vessel types catch fire at sea, posing a serious danger to the crew and the environment.

While the exact cause of these fires is often unclear, they are typically started by a spark or flames from one of the ship’s cargo containers. Once started, the fire can quickly spread throughout the seagoing vessel, causing extensive damage and, on occasion, vessel sinkings. Several steps can be taken to prevent fires on container ships.

It is important to ensure that all containers are appropriately labeled and secured.
Regular inspections should be conducted to check for any signs of heat or sparks.
Fire suppression systems should be installed throughout the vessel to help contain any fires that break out. These simple precautions can help prevent container ship fires and protect both lives and property.

Five Fast Facts about Maritime Cargo

Here are some important facts you should know about the maritime cargo industry:

Los Angeles received the largest amount of TEUs in 2017, bringing in 16 million containers into port.
Around 99% of goods are transported via seagoing vessel, with about 70% of those goods housed in containers.
Shipping across the sea is the safest form of cargo transport.
Women are a minority in the shipping industry, making up only 2% of the 1.5 million seafarers employed.
Shipping and container port industries constitute 26% of the U.S. GDP, or around $5.4 trillion.

(NB NOTE - I was unable to open the link for the 5th article. Will return to this later)

The Class Struggle

Friday, January 19, 2024

Giant Ships, Global Shipping and Ports, How they Relate to the Geostrategic and Economic Struggles Now Underway