From the container deck

[Doc Vernon]

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Steaming to Shanghai: The CMA CGM Marco Polo is one of a series of sisterships, each of them huge and each built in South Korea (2012-14). They are operated by Marseilles-based CMA CGM, a sort of heir to the old French Line and Messageries Maritimes. Each ship is massive: 1299 ft long (or approx 150 ft longer than, say, the Queen Mary 2). Weighing-in at 175,000 gross tons, each can carry up to 16,000 containers.

But -- and just in case you are interested -- each ship can also carry up to 10 passengers, housed in 5 doubles. And while certainly a quiet shipboard lifestyle, there's a TV room, library area, fitness room and even a pool you can share with the crew. The ships are French-flag and so offer fine food -- and, oh yes, a complimentary bottle of wine every night. Passengers are housed in the tall, but very narrow midships section -- with shadowy windows often facing stacked containers.

Travelers can book for 120 days -- completely around the world: Ningbo, Shanghai, Xiamen, Hong Kong, Chiwan, Yantian, Port Kelang, Tangier, Southampton, Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Rotterdam, Zeebrugge, Le Havre, Malta, Khor Al Fakkan, Jebel Ali, Ningbo. Or do as little as 2-3 days between ports. Calls in port are comparatively brief, however, as these ships are revenue-generated and so almost always on the move.


Myself, I've seen a sistership, the CMA CGM Jules Verne, at Southampton. It was just huge and almost created its own shadow. Two harbor tugs assisting seemed like toys in comparison