The rise of ultra large container vessels: Implications for seaport systems and environmental considerations

Abstract

The development of the global container fleet has followed a clear trend towards ever larger ships over the last 25 years. Particularly striking in this regard is the rise of the dimensionally largest ships, the so-called Ultra Large Container Vessels or ULCVs that can no longer pass through the new locks of the Panama Canal. While recent events such as the six-day blockade of the Suez Canal by the Ever Given have revealed environmental and safety risks of deploying these vessels, even the scheduled and smooth operation generates a whole range of challenges, impacts and costs that come at the expense of external stakeholders. The article aims at identifying these external effects as related to seaport systems as well as environmental considerations by consolidating insights from the scientific and professional discourse.