Container Ship Fuel Capacity and Daily Consumption
A container ship of roughly 8,000 TEU burns around 150 tons of fuel a day at 21 knots and around 225 tons at 24 knots, since consumption depends on speed far more than on tank size.[2] A very large container ship can hold about 16,000 to 17,000 cubic metres of fuel, and a 5,000 TEU Panamax about 5,700 to 7,600.[1] Ships seldom sail with full tanks, since extra fuel takes the place of cargo and ties up capital.
Fuel Capacity by Ship Class
Published figures usually come in US gallons. The table converts FreightWaves' ranges to cubic metres, at 3.785 litres to the gallon. These are rounded class figures, and the actual capacity of a given ship appears in its tank plan.
| Ship class | Capacity (TEU) | Fuel (million gallons) | Approximate volume (m³) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panamax | Up to 5,000 | 1.5 to 2 | 5,700 to 7,600 |
| Post-Panamax, New Panamax | 8,000 to 14,000 | 2.5 to 3.5 | 9,500 to 13,200 |
| Ultra-large | Around 18,000 | 4.5 | 17,000 |
Source: FreightWaves, January 2020, with volumes converted.[1] The original gives 4.5 million gallons as about 16,000 cubic metres, although a direct conversion comes to about 17,000. At an assumed density of 0.95 tonnes per cubic metre, 17,000 cubic metres is about 16,150 tonnes.
Examples from Real Ships
Emma Mærsk. Her 14-cylinder Wärtsilä-Sulzer 14RTFLEX96-C main engine develops about 81 MW. At full output it is reported to burn 14,000 litres of heavy fuel per hour, or 336 cubic metres a day. At economical speed that falls to about 6,284 litres per hour, or some 151 cubic metres a day.[3]
Maersk Triple E. The first-generation 18,270 TEU ships have two MAN 8S80ME-C9 engines of 29.68 MW each, and the first ten vessels are rated at a specific consumption of 168 g/kWh.[4] Full-power burn follows from those numbers: 59,360 kW × 168 g/kWh is about 9.97 tonnes an hour, or 239 tonnes a day. That covers the main engines only, with generators on top.
CMA CGM Jacques Saadé. This 23,000 TEU ship runs on LNG and has 18,600 cubic metres of tank capacity, enough according to Bureau Veritas for an unbroken round trip between Europe and Asia.[5] LNG needs much more volume for the same energy. Assuming a density of 0.45 tonnes per cubic metre, 50 GJ per tonne for LNG and 40.5 GJ per tonne for fuel oil, the tank holds the energy of roughly 10,300 tonnes of fuel oil. Comparing cubic metres alone would mislead.
Working Out Consumption
An engine's hourly fuel use is its power multiplied by its specific fuel oil consumption (SFOC), the grams of fuel needed for each kilowatt-hour. The daily formula is:
Daily consumption (tonnes) = power (kW) × SFOC (g/kWh) × 24 / 1,000,000
An engine running at an assumed 40,000 kW and 175 g/kWh therefore burns 168 tonnes a day. Actual figures vary with engine load, the condition of hull and propeller, the fuel's calorific value and the weather. Auxiliary engines, boilers and power for reefer containers come on top.
Speed and Fuel Burn
The power a ship needs climbs steeply with speed, and as a rough rule daily consumption follows the cube of speed. Transport Geography's 8,000 TEU example sits close to that rule. At 21 knots a ship does 87.5% of 24 knots, and 0.875 cubed is 0.67, so 225 tons becomes about 150.[2]
Two measures should be kept apart. Daily burn follows the cube, but a slower ship takes longer over the same distance, so consumption per mile follows roughly the square of speed. In this example the daily saving is 33% and the saving per mile about 23%. Slowing by 10% cuts daily burn by about 27% and burn per mile by about 19%. Longer voyages then mean more ships are needed to keep the same service frequency.
| Operating class | Speed (knots) |
|---|---|
| Normal | 20 to 25 |
| Slow steaming | 18 to 20 |
| Extra slow steaming | 15 to 18 |
| Minimal cost | 12 to 15 |
Source: Transport Geography.[2]
How Far One Tankful Goes
Capacity, burn and speed together give range. A ship with 16,000 tonnes burning 150 tonnes a day could in theory run for 106 days. At 21 knots it covers 504 nautical miles a day, so that comes to about 53,000 miles. This is a theoretical ceiling. Tank bottoms, safety margins, separate tanks for different fuels and weather allowances all reduce what can actually be used.
The same figures can be used for a voyage estimate. An assumed 11,000-mile route takes about 21.8 days at 21 knots and needs about 3,270 tonnes at 150 tonnes a day. Sending the ship around the Cape instead of through Suez adds thousands of miles, and fuel rises in proportion.
A long range gives operators flexibility to lift fuel where price, availability and the voyage plan suit best. It does not follow that full tanks pay. Surplus fuel takes weight from cargo, locks up cash that has already been spent and may raise quality risks if it sits for a long time.
Calculating a Bunker Stem
Published figures generally describe the main engine alone, while generators and boilers run at sea and in port. How much to lift follows from voyage needs. Taking the 11,000-mile voyage above, with assumed auxiliary and boiler use of 25 tonnes a day over 24 days and a 10% margin:
| Item | Assumption | Tonnes |
|---|---|---|
| Main engine | 21.8 days, 150 t/day | 3,270 |
| Auxiliaries and boiler | 24 days, 25 t/day | 600 |
| Weather and safety margin | 10% of the total | 387 |
| Total requirement | 4,257 | |
| Remaining on board | At departure | 1,000 |
| Quantity to lift | 3,257 |
A ship able to hold 16,000 tonnes may therefore need only about 3,300 for this voyage. The decision also weighs availability at the next port, grades, sulphur limits and price expectations, a subject taken further in the fuel price risk guide.
Gallons, Cubic Metres and Tonnes
The press quotes gallons, tank plans show cubic metres and fuel is traded in metric tonnes. Converting a tank's volume to tonnes requires the fuel's density at 15 °C and its temperature at the time of measurement, because oil expands as it warms and the measured volume has to be corrected to standard temperature.
Take an assumed 1,000 cubic metres measured at 50 °C, a volume correction factor of 0.974 and a density of 0.950 tonnes per cubic metre at 15 °C. Standard volume is 974 cubic metres and the weight about 925 tonnes. Without the correction the same fuel would appear to weigh 950 tonnes, and that 25-tonne gap shows why measurement matters in a bunker delivery.
Fuel Types and Tank Layout
Most container ships burn VLSFO in the main engine, or HSFO if fitted with a scrubber, and change over to 0.10% sulphur fuel in emission control areas. The IMO 2020 guide explains the limits behind this. Each grade stays in its own tanks. New parcels are not supposed to mix with what is on board, so the availability of an empty tank also shapes how much a ship can take. The guide to marine fuels compares the products, and supply questions can go through the bunker trading page.
Frequently asked questions
How much fuel does a container ship burn?
A ship of roughly 8,000 TEU burns around 150 tons a day at 21 knots and around 225 tons at 24 knots. The main engines of an 18,270 TEU Triple E come to about 239 tons a day at full power.
How much fuel does a container ship carry?
A very large container ship can hold about 16,000 to 17,000 cubic metres of fuel, and a 5,000 TEU Panamax about 5,700 to 7,600.
How many litres does a container ship carry?
The published figure for an ultra-large ship is about 17 million litres. A 5,000 TEU Panamax can take about 5.7 to 7.6 million litres.
How many tons a day does a container ship burn?
It depends on size and speed. In the 8,000 TEU example, the figure is about 225 tons at 24 knots and about 150 tons at 21 knots.
Where does a ship get its fuel?
From bunkering ports along its route, usually from a barge or small tanker alongside. Port choice depends on price, product and the voyage plan.
Sources
- FreightWaves. How Many Gallons of Fuel Does a Container Ship Carry, 15 January 2020.
- Rodrigue, J.-P. The Geography of Transport Systems. Fuel Consumption by Containership Size and Speed.
- Wikipedia. Emma Mærsk (secondary source).
- Wikipedia. Maersk Triple E-class Container Ship (secondary source).
- Bureau Veritas Marine and Offshore. Delivering the World's Largest LNG Containership.
