The world's largest capacity container ship has set off on its maiden voyage. Measuring 400 m (1,312 ft) in length and 58.6 m (192 ft) wide – or the size of four soccer fields for those more familiar with that alternative unit of measurement – the CSCL Globe can carry 19,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) shipping containers.

The CSCL Globe was constructed by Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd (HHI) for China Shipping Container Lines (CSCL) and is the first of five ordered by the Shanghai-based marine shipping company in May last year.

Despite being the same length and 0.4 m (1.3 ft) thinner, the CSCL Globe can carry 730 more TEU than the Maersk Triple E class container ships that have a capacity of 18,270 TEU. This is partially thanks to the CSCL Globe's extra expected service draft of 16 m (52.5 ft) compared to the Maersk Triple E's 14.5 m (47.5 ft). Although, both these ships fall short of the the monstrous Prelude FLNG.

In spite of its extra carrying capacity, HHI says the CSCL Globe's 77,200 bhp (56,800 kW) electronically-controlled main engine, which automatically adjusts fuel consumption based on the ship's speed and sea conditions, allows the ship to burn 20 percent less fuel per TEU than ships with 10,000 TEU capacity.

The CSCL Globe set off from Tianjin, China this week, embarking on its first of many voyages on the Asia-Europe trade loop.

Source: Hyundai Heavy Industries

Update 1 (Dec 9, 2014): There is some confusion as to the draft of the CSCL Globe. We've contacted HHI and will update the story when we hear from them.

Update 2 (Dec 10, 2014): We've been informed by Mark Pomroy, the Marine Manager at China Shipping (UK) Agency Co Ltd that 30.5 m (100 ft) is the molded depth of the CSCL Globe, with the service draft expected to be 16 m (52.5 ft) and have updated the story.