CONTAINER & CARGO HANDLING

Containership cascade

18 years ago

· MPX (mid panamax) – 2,000 teu-3,500 teu · LPX (large panamax) – 3,500 teu-4,500 teu · PPX (post panamax) – 4,500 teu-6,000 teu · LPPX (large post panamax) – 6,000 teu-8,000 teu · SPPX (super post panamax) megaships – 8,000 teu-12,500 teu

Maximum ship sizes have grown steadily from 3,000 teu in 1980 and 4,500 teu in the late 1980s, to the early 1990s when the panamax barrier was breached. Since then, ship sizes have ballooned – to 7,200 teu in 2000 and then in 2006, the first 12,500 teu vessel entered service.