The Triple E Class vessel has a length of 400 m (1,312 ft), beam of 59 m (194 ft), draft of 14.5 m (48 ft), and a capacity of more than 18,300 TEUs.
German insurer Allianz flagged these “emerging risks” in its annual Safety and Shipping report. The company said increased use of these large cargo ships, such as the Maersk “Triple E class”, which is as long as four football pitches, could lead to potentially massive insurance claims.
“The claims arising out of maritime emergencies of these mega ships can be huge. For example, just think of the business interruption of ports and terminals if an accident was to block the entrance,” Sven Gerhard, Global Product Leader, Hull & Marine Liabilities at Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty, said.
The insurer also pointed to increasing use of greener fuels such as liquefied natural gas to power ships as a potential hazard because of a lack of infrastructure in ports or expertise in handling it. A third emerging risk were new Arctic trading routes, opened up my melting sea ice.