Mega-Container Ships and the Limits of Gigantism in Maritime Container Transport
Keywords:
Container ships, Naval gigantism, Maritime transport, Logística portuariaAbstract
The introduction of new-generation vessels, known as megacontainer ships, poses significant challenges for maritime ports worldwide, including draft restrictions, limited ship-to-shore crane capacity, insufficient berth dimensions, and deficiencies in hinterland infrastructure. Despite these constraints, shipping lines have promoted their use to capitalize on economies of scale, thereby reducing the cost per twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU). However, the increase in vessel size leads to greater variability in cargo volumes and places pressure on the efficiency of port logistics systems. Consequently, it is crucial to optimize the performance of ship-to-shore cranes, yard equipment, and internal transport systems. Moreover, their operation entails stricter nautical constraints, higher operational risks, and longer port stays, all of which affect economic efficiency. These implications are often underestimated in light of the continuing trend toward vessel upsizing.
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