The world’s largest container shipping line — the Maersk Line — pressed into service the largest container ship Emma Maersk in September 2006. At 1,58,000 DWT, a length of 397 m, width of 56.4 m and loaded capacity of 11,000 TEU, this was one of the eight ships ordered at one stroke. Eyebrows were raised at that time in container shipping circles whether this venture would prove to be a successful one or not. But the critics have been proved wrong. Emma Maersk has been operating in the Europe-Asia trades for the last one year to almost 100 per cent of its capacity, giving the Maersk Line considerable economies of scale that other lines will not be able to achieve at least for some years.