“I can confirm that the accident occurred. It’s a very tragic. The relatives have been informed and we have also informed the relevant authorities” Michael Storgaard, press chief of the AP Moller reported to a Danish newspaper.

The injured officer has since been is reported out of danger. The company has sent a psychologist and a representative of the company to Kobe to help the crew and the authorities.

It has been reported, but not confirmed, that the accident occured when the lifeboat falls failed and the boat fell and hit the water.

SINGAPORE (Dow Jones)–A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S (AMKBF), the world’s largest container shipping line, expects to exercise an option to buy 10 more of what will be the biggest ships ever built as it seeks economies of scale and looks to stamp its dominance on an industry that is continuing a strong recovery from a slump in 2009.

“Most likely, yes: The first decision (to acquire 10 more vessels) will come in June and we do expect that we will exercise the option,” A.P. Moller-Maersk Group Chief Executive Nils S. Andersen told reporters in Singapore when asked if Maersk would exercise the option to acquire more vessels.

The Danish shipping and oil group stumped the industry on Feb. 21 by ordering 10 of the 18,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit vessels from Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering Co. (042660.SE) with an option to purchase another 20.

Andersen said any decision to exercise the option to acquire a further 10 vessels–bringing the total to 30–would be made in December.

The vessels will cost $190 million apiece and the total contract value, if the options for all 20 ships are exercised, is $5.7 billion. They will set a record for size, passing the current biggest container vessels that can carry 15,000 TEUs.

Maersk expects the giant container ships to allow it to take advantage of expected growth in trade between Asia and Europe. Andersen declined to comment on the specific ports the vessels will call on. The first 10 of the vessels will be delivered by 2014 by Daewoo, the world’s second-biggest shipbuilder by sales.

The vessels are expected to be used to ferry goods ranging from Apple Inc.’s (AAPL) iPhone cellular telephones to powdered milk between Asia and the ports of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, Felixstowe, England, and Bremerhaven, Germany. U.S. ports are too small to handle such large ships.

Industry watchers said in February they expected a new Maersk order, “but nothing this massive,” said Axel Funhoff, an analyst with ING in Brussels.

Maersk is leading a renaissance of the shipping industry, which lost $20 billion in 2009 as global trade contracted by 10%. That year, the family-controlled Danish company recorded a loss–of $1.31 billion–for the first time since its founding in 1904.

Thanks to reducing its workforce, having vessels steam at slower speeds and taking other economy measures, Maersk swung back to profitability in 2010, with earnings of 26.46 billion Danish kroner ($4.87 billion) in 2010, it said on Feb. 23.

Maersk said the new ships will generate 20% less carbon dioxide per container than its current vessels, and 50% less CO2 than “the industry average on the Asia-Europe trade lane.” It will also consume 35% less fuel per container than ships currently running containers between Asia and Europe.

The new ships will feature many technological innovations, including new hull and bow designs and a heat-recovery system that will capture and reuse energy from the engines’ exhaust gas, Maersk said in February.

Andersen also said the group has been successful in passing on higher oil prices to customers and that the group is seeing some delay in component shipments from Japan as a result of the earthquake and tsunami that struck that country last month.

-By Gaurav Raghuvanshi, Dow Jones Newswires

Just how big is Maersk’s Triple-E class?

Click here to view the embedded video.

Emma Maersk

The Emma Maersk is a true modern marvel. She is the world’s largest container ship, the longest container ship currently in service, and is propelled by the largest diesel engine ever manufactured.  During the final phase of construction and amid welding work however, a fire broke within Emma Maersk’s multi-million dollar bridge.  Flames quickly spread from the bridge down through the accommodations.  The inferno could be seen for miles.

Extinguishing a fire of this magnitude was only made capable by a group of local firefighters and crew trained to fight shipboard fires.

After escaping near total destruction, made possible only by those brave individuals involved, the Emma Maersk reached total recovery in record time.

The loss of a vessel this size would nearly be on par with losing an entire neighborhood of homes to flames.  When such a vessel is engulfed by flames only to be saved, repaired, and finally commissioned, progress and dedication again lead the way to success.

After a matter of weeks, of which the ship was also delayed, reconstruction was completed and Emma Maersk set sail on her maiden voyage.  The commonly heard story of her successful journey from China to the United Kingdom bearing a cargo of Christmas items later that year, is a simple and appropriate metaphor.  The Emma Maersk is herself a gift, her recovery a hopeful and inspiring tale of recovery and success.

According to A.P. Moller, the parent company of Maersk Line, a single 20-foot vessel container on average can hold about 48,000 bananas. In theory then, Emma Maersk is capable of holding nearly 528 million bananas in a single voyage – enough to give every person in Europe or North America a banana for breakfast. Imagine now, this statistic in terms of Christmas presents. Without the amazing turn-around of Emma, the UK would have seen a lot of unhappy families that Christmas in 2006.

In losing Emma Maersk, we too, would have lost one of the most environmentally friendly container vessels ever built, as seen in her waste heat recovery system, which saves up to ten percent of the ship’s power.  Of even greater environmental importance is her economy of scale.  Being three times that of the largest container ship to ever transit the Panama canal, her carbon footprint (and thus fuel consumption) as a proportion of her cargo-carrying capacity is far smaller than that of the smaller ships that might replace her.

A year after the pivotal story of the Emma Maersk fire she was awarded “Ship of the Year” by Lloyd’s List, the world’s longest running periodical.  Emma was given this award not because of her story, but because she set new standards in innovation, environmental issues and safety for the Maersk Line. Only a vessel that goes from the brilliant and ground-breaking design and construction, to a threat of extinction, to a final feat of success, deserves such an award,

Hailed openly as a true marvel of the sea, Emma Maersk’s journey from flames to reconstruction is a profound tale but certainly not the last testament of maritime achievement.  In 2011, South Korean shipbuilder DSME won a 1.3B Euro contract to construct a vessel nearly double the size of the Emma Maersk… the Pieter Schelte.  This vessel will essentially be a catamaran made up of two hulls, each nearly the size of the Emma Maersk.  It will be an incredible vessel by every measure once completed.

The following are photos and video taken by the local fire brigade that fought the mighty Emma Maersk fire:

Video Of The Emma Maersk Fire:

Click here to view the embedded video.

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By October 2006, the Emma Maersk had been fully repaired and set sail for her maiden voyage to Singapore:

[Image via PostlerFerguson]

Like it or not, the holiday season (yes the holidays) are quickly approaching and every year we try to find some cool nautical gift ideas for the kids and adults alike.  Luckily for us, our favorite cool transportation blog Telstar Logistics points us to  an array of maritime themed items by the UK based PostlerFerguson.  Among these items, you’ll find the Wooden Toy Ship mini-series collection, which aims at revive the classical wooden toy of yesteryear.

The Wooden Toy mini-series includes vessesls such as the LNG carrier Arctic Princess, the supertanker TI Asia and of course the world famous Emma Maersk.  PostlerFerguson tells us a little more:

The Wooden Toy Ship mini-series is about reintroducing a sense of the grandeur of current technological feats to the wooden toy. The quality of the materials, reduced aesthetic and sense of technological optimism draw on the classic language of wood toys, while the updated subject matter introduces essential aspects of global modernism into the home.

But don’t bust out those wallets just yet, according to Telstar Logistics the Wooden Toy mini-series won’t be available for purchase until later this year.

Like these toys?  Be sure to check out the other maritime themed items from PostlerFerguson including the marine buoy floor lamps.

In reading the WSJ article mentioned yesterday titled “The Mega Containers Invade” we noticed this line: “Meanwhile, a ship capable of fitting 22,000 containers has been designed by South Korea’s STX Shipbuilding Co.”

At first read, I glanced over it without thought.  Then reading it for the second time, I started scratching my head.  A 22,000 TEU ship! Impossible.

Well, apparently not.  STX states in the June 2008 edition of STXnews that they have indeed succeeded in the development of a 22,000 TEU class container ship.  They go on to explain that they have developed both one and two-propeller types with the ability to reach 24 to 26 knots.  The ultra large container ships are 460m in length, 60m wide and 30m high.  Additionally, STX emphasizes the fuel efficiency of these larger ships, saying that they are capable of saving more than 40% on the unit transportation cost compared to the largest container ships of today.  Additionally, the design has been developed taking into account berthing, loading and unloading capabilities at major ports.

We have not heard of a buyer or a delivery date mentioned, nor have we seen any illustrations.  If anyone has further information, please leave it in the comments below.

For the full release from STX, download the PDF HERE.

The picture above, by Ship Spotter Frederik, is of the Elly Maersk. Along with her sister ships the Emma, Evelyn, Eleonora, Estelle and Ebba Maersk she is the largest Container Ship in the world and the last of these giants scheduled to be built. She is also equipped with the largest engine in the world. Marine Link tells us:

On August 25, 2007 Odense Steel Shipyard presented its latest newbuilding, an 11,000 TEU container vessel, for the A.P. Moller – Maersk Group.

Like her five predecessors, Elly Maersk will be part of the series of the world’s largest container vessels, and she will like her sister vessels set new standards for safety and environment. Environmentally friendly silicone paint covers the hull of the vessel below the waterline – reducing water resistance and cutting the vessel’s fuel consumption by 1,200 tons per year.

With its 14-cylinder Wärtsilä RT-flex diesel engine which develops 110,000 bhp, Elly Maersk will enter Maersk Line’s worldwide service after delivery. Read More…

We have mixed emotions regarding ships of this size but, like the rest of the world, are impressed and amazed by her sheer size.

Related links:

• Video of her Maiden Voyage
• Track the Elly Maersk
• More Photos
• Fire on the Emma Maersk
• Emma Maersk photos video

The Ebba Maersk (IMO: 9321524, Port of Registry: Copenhagen, Denmark) is already the fifth in line of Maersk’s PS-class. Together with her sisters (amongst which are the ‘Emma Maersk‘ and ‘Evelyn Maersk‘) she is the largest containership ever with a total teu capacity 11,000 teu (of which 1,000 forty foot reefer containers) according to the A.P. Moller – Maersk Group. Rumours are that a total capacity of 13,500 teu is also possible. This capacity is possible by stacking the containers in 22 rows wide. The vessel is 397 meters long, 56 meters wide, has a depth of 30 meters and a deadweight of 156,907 tons. Amazingly, all this size and capacity requires a crew of only 13.

Read the complete Eba Maersk profile HERE and check back with Ship of the Day… well… daily.

Sistership Emma Maersk links;

• Fire on the Emma Maersk
• Emma Maersk photos video

Click here to view the embedded video.

Comments from the video:

The first build of Maersk Line’s E-Series, the 11,000 TEU Emma Maersk as seen from the 4,300 TEU Maersk Missouri. This was shot about 50 nm west of Port Said in the Med Sea on 23 November, 2006 after both captains agreed to close into within 0.5 nm. Both of us were on our way to anchor at Port Said, Egypt before transiting the Suez Canal, early the next morning.

Looking for more? Here are some related stories:

• Engine Room Footage of the Maersk Belfast
• Engine Control Room of the Maersk Missouri
• Emma Maersk Shipyard Fire – Photos