Emma Mærsk

Summary

Emma Mærsk was the lead ship of the Maersk E-class, a 15,200 TEU container ship built by Odense Steel Shipyard (Denmark) in 2006. At delivery she was by some margin the world's largest container ship — a record that stood until the 2013 Maersk Triple-E class. The E-class operated Asia-Europe loops for over a decade and represented the high point of Danish naval architecture in the container era. Maersk retired her in 2024 and she awaits scrapping.

Crew perspective

Emma Mærsk and her sisters defined the post-2000 ULCV era. Officers who served on E-class carry significant Asia-Europe trade experience and Maersk-fleet familiarity. The vessels were notably innovative for their era — waste-heat-recovery generation, frequency-controlled main engine, and pioneering Danish-shipyard build quality. With retirement underway, the ex-E-class crew base has dispersed across Maersk's newer tonnage and across the wider industry.

Notable incidents

• 2013-02-01: rudder damage en route to Suez Canal, required tugs

Sister ships

Estelle Mærsk, Eleonora Mærsk, Evelyn Mærsk, Ebba Mærsk, Edith Mærsk, Eugen Mærsk, Elly Mærsk