Container record ship ONE Innovation: A ship bigger than the Eiffel Tower – efficiency miracle or expensive risk?

Container shipping: Global container capacity reaches new heights

Container shipping has reached a new milestone with the ONE Innovation. The massive vessel, owned by Ocean Network Express, is currently transporting the largest container load in the history of modern shipping, highlighting the immense logistical challenges faced by maritime megacarriers.

The new world record in numbers

With 22,233 standard containers on board, the ONE Innovation set a historic record. The ship departed the Port of Singapore and, via a stopover in Felixstowe, UK, headed for the Port of Rotterdam, where it is expected to arrive in mid-October. This cargo surpasses the previous record set by the same ship in December 2023 with 22,000 containers.

The ONE Innovation belongs to the new generation of container giants with a theoretical maximum capacity of 24,136 TEU. At 400 meters long and 61.4 meters wide, it is one of the largest container ships in the world. The distinctive magenta-colored ship was built in 2023 by Japan Marine United Corporation at the Kure shipyard and is the first of six megamax vessels in the ONE fleet.

Ocean Network Express: Japanese power on the world's oceans

Ocean Network Express was formed in 2017 from the merger of the container businesses of three long-established Japanese shipping companies: Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK), Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL), and K Line. This strategic merger immediately created one of the world's largest container shipping companies, with a combined fleet of initially 1.4 million TEU. Today, ONE operates more than 260 vessels with a total capacity of approximately 2 million TEU.

The shipping company is now the sixth-largest container shipping company in the world, operating over 165 shipping routes to more than 120 countries. The company is headquartered in Singapore and employs over 8,000 people in more than 50 countries. As a member of the Premier Alliance, ONE cooperates with other major shipping companies to optimize shipping routes between Asia and Europe.

Technical innovation and sustainability

The ONE Innovation embodies the latest in maritime technology. The vessel features a modern hull design that maximizes cargo capacity while minimizing fuel consumption. Environmentally friendly technologies include a bow windshield, energy-saving devices, and an exhaust gas cleaning system that complies with the emissions regulations of the International Maritime Organization.

These technological innovations are part of ONE's Green Vision, which aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The shipping company is committed to dual-fuel technology, which can use both conventional heavy fuel oil and clean liquefied natural gas (LNG). These approaches enable ultra-large container vessels to significantly reduce CO2 emissions per ton of cargo.

The challenges of superships

While the enormous ships offer impressive economies of scale, they also pose significant logistical challenges. Not all ports can handle these behemoths—they require dedicated deep-water berths, oversized cranes, and expanded terminal capacity. The Port of Rotterdam, the target of the ONE Innovation, has four fully automated terminals and a water depth of 24 meters, enabling it to handle the world's largest container ships.

Loading and unloading such mega-ships presents port operators with particular challenges. Handling a ship with 20,000 to 24,000 TEU can take between two and four days, and containers with a total value of over one billion euros are handled. These time frames require precise coordination, and delays can trigger ripple effects in global supply chains.

Singapore as a hub of world trade

Singapore, the starting port, plays a central role in this system. As the world's second-largest container port after Shanghai, Singapore handled a new record volume of over 40 million TEU in 2024. The port serves as the world's most important transshipment hub, processing containers from all over Asia for onward distribution to Europe and other continents.

The ongoing challenges posed by geopolitical crises, particularly the crisis in the Red Sea, have further increased Singapore's importance. Many shipping companies are bypassing the Suez Canal and instead taking the route around the Cape of Good Hope, which adds approximately two weeks to transit times. This places additional strain on Singapore as a stopover and logistics hub.

Singapore is investing heavily in the future of its port infrastructure. The Tuas Mega Port project will gradually replace all existing terminals and reach an annual capacity of 65 million TEU by 2040. The fully automated terminal will then be the largest container port in the world.

Container high-bay warehouses and container terminals: The logistical interplay – Expert advice and solutions - Creative image: Xpert.Digital

This innovative technology promises to fundamentally change container logistics. Instead of stacking containers horizontally as before, they are stored vertically in multi-tiered steel rack structures. This not only enables a drastic increase in storage capacity within the same space but also revolutionizes the entire processes in the container terminal.

More about it here:

• Container high-bay warehouses and container terminals: The logistical interaction – expert advice and solutions

The profitability of the giants

Ultra-large container vessels like the ONE Innovation are based on the principle of economies of scale. By transporting enormous container volumes in a single voyage, transport costs per container can be significantly reduced. Operating costs for a 23,000 TEU vessel are approximately €5 per TEU per day, depending on the fuel used.

However, these economies of scale are reaching their limits. Experts argue that with ships of this size, the cost savings are virtually exhausted, and further expansions incur additional infrastructure costs that negate the benefits. The high initial investments for building such ships – often several hundred million euros per unit – and the necessary port modernizations pose additional economic challenges.

Rotterdam as a European destination port

The Port of Rotterdam is the ideal destination for the ONE Innovation. As Europe's largest port, Rotterdam has a port area of ​​100 square kilometers and a total length of 42 kilometers. Its 24-meter depth allows the world's largest container ships to dock around the clock.

Rotterdam operates 14 container terminals for various ship types and has 20 container depots covering an area of ​​more than 120 hectares. The port is continuously investing in expanding its capacity. The planned expansion of the Maasvlakte II terminal will be able to handle an additional 7 million TEU annually starting in 2026.

Rotterdam's strategic location makes it an ideal distribution center for Europe. The port is surrounded by Europe's most densely populated and industrial centers, including the German Ruhr region, Paris, and London. This location enables efficient onward distribution of containers by rail, inland waterway, and truck throughout Europe.

Challenges and risks of overcapacity

The container industry is facing the problem of structural overcapacity. The global order backlog for new container ships reached a record high of 9.6 to 10.4 million TEU in 2025. This corresponds to more than 30 percent of the active fleet. 3.3 million TEU of new capacity is planned for 2028 alone, resulting in average fleet growth of over 6 percent per year.

This overcapacity can lead to significant economic problems. During periods of low demand, the operating costs of ultra-large container vessels can exceed revenues, resulting in financial losses. Shipping companies must carefully balance the size of their fleets with global trade volumes to avoid overcapacity, especially during economic downturns.

Environmental impact and sustainability

Despite their size, mega-ships offer important environmental benefits. Their high transport capacities enable them to significantly reduce CO2 emissions per ton of cargo. Maritime shipping remains the most sustainable mode of transport for international trade. Modern ultra-large container vessels use advanced engines with dual-fuel technology that can use both conventional heavy fuel oil and clean liquefied natural gas.

The vessels are also equipped with air lubrication systems that reduce water resistance, as well as waste heat recovery systems for onboard power generation. Emissions control systems such as scrubbers and selective catalytic reduction significantly reduce sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides.

Global trade flows and geopolitical influences

The ONE Innovation's route from Singapore via Felixstowe to Rotterdam reflects key global trade flows. The Asia-Europe route is one of the busiest container shipping routes in the world, transporting everything from electronics to automobiles and raw materials.

Geopolitical tensions are significantly impacting these trade routes. The ongoing crisis in the Red Sea is forcing many shipping companies to change their routes and circumvent the Cape of Good Hope. This increases travel times by approximately 18 days and requires two to three additional ships per rotation. Trade wars and sanctions are also forcing companies to develop new logistics strategies.

Technological trends and automation

The future of container handling lies in automation. Rotterdam is planning fully automated terminals operating with autonomous cranes and driverless ground vehicles. Singapore's Tuas Mega Port already deploys over 200 automated vehicles operating around the clock using RFID technology for precise positioning and collision avoidance.

Smart port technologies leverage Internet of Things devices, artificial intelligence, and digital twins to manage berths and optimize port operations. These systems enable real-time data processing and instant communication for uninterrupted operations.

The future of container shipping

The ONE Innovation marks both the pinnacle and a turning point in the evolution of container shipping. While the vessel sets impressive efficiency gains and records, it also highlights the limits of gigantism in shipping. The industry faces the challenge of finding the right balance between size, efficiency, and flexibility.

Future developments will likely focus on more sustainable propulsion technologies, improved port automation, and more flexible fleet structures. Diversification of vessel sizes is gaining importance, as evidenced by the increase in orders for smaller feeder vessels. At the same time, shipping companies continue to invest in ultra-large container vessels to benefit from economies of scale and meet the growing global demand for container transport.

The ONE Innovation and similar mega-ships will continue to dominate major trade routes for many years to come, but their role will need to evolve in a changing global trade environment. The balance between efficiency, sustainability, and operational flexibility will be crucial to the long-term success of these maritime giants.

Markus Becker

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Konrad Wolfenstein

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