The story of the Emma Maersk
The Emma Maersk is arguably the most influential container ship ever built. When she left the Odense Steel Shipyard in 2006 — the last great ship of that Danish yard — she was so much larger than anything afloat that analysts doubted ports could handle her. Lead ship of the E-class and powered by the most powerful diesel engine ever built at the time, she held the world capacity record for over eight years, an unmatched reign. Nearly two decades later she is still in front-line service, and her MRV emissions record documents how a 2006 pioneer performs in an era of EEXI ratings and carbon regulation.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the Emma Maersk famous?
Delivered in 2006, she was vastly larger than any container ship before her and held the world capacity record for more than eight years — the longest reign of the modern era.
Is a 2006-built ship still competitive on emissions?
Her verified MRV trend since 2018 shows how retrofits and slow steaming have kept a veteran hull surprisingly close to modern efficiency standards — and where the gap remains.
Where does this emissions data come from?
All figures are official verified data reported under the EU MRV regulation and published by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA).