Maersk orders eight 18,600 TEU containerships

Is the trend to ever-larger containerships slowing? A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) has placed an order for eight large containerships with China’s New Times Shipbuilding Co. Ltd. All eight will have the same characteristics and make up a new series of 18,600 TEU vessels with deliveries in 2029 and 2030. At 366 meters in length and 58.6 meters in breadth, notes Maersk, these vessels are more compact than the current maximum container vessel length of 400 meters.

[The world’s largest containerships are currently MSC’s 24,346 TEU Irina Class with a length of about 399 meters and beam of 61.3 meters].

“We are pleased to have signed this agreement for eight large vessels. The order is part of our ongoing fleet renewal and helps maintain our fleet’s competitive edge,” said Anda Cristescu, head of chartering & newbuilding at Maersk “Deployment flexibility has been a key factor in our decision-making. Although these vessels are large, they offer greater flexibility than the largest ships currently being built in our industry. This provides us with multiple deployment options across both our current and future network.”

The ships will be equipped with dual-fuel engines able to operate on conventional bunker fuel or LNG

With this new order, Maersk now has 33 vessels on order, with four scheduled for delivery in the remainder of 2026.

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