Última actualización: 23 de octubre de 2026
A large container ship can burn around 100 to 250 tonnes of fuel a day, depending on its size and speed. That sounds enormous, but because each ship carries thousands of containers, the fuel used per item shipped is tiny. Here’s how much fuel container ships use, and why speed makes such a big difference.
Fuel use by ship size| Ship size | Typical fuel use at normal service speed | At slow steaming |
|---|---|---|
| Feeder (1,000–3,000 TEU) | About 20–50 tonnes a day | About 15–30 tonnes a day |
| Mid-size (5,000–10,000 TEU) | About 80–150 tonnes a day | About 50–90 tonnes a day |
| Mega-ship (18,000–24,000 TEU) | About 150–250 tonnes a day | About 90–150 tonnes a day |
Indicative figures. Actual consumption depends on hull design, engine, weather, load and speed.
A ship’s fuel use rises steeply as speed increases. Roughly, cutting speed by 10% can cut fuel use by around 20–25%. That is why many shipping lines practise slow steaming. Read how fast do container ships go.
Marine fuel prices vary, but often run at several hundred US dollars per tonne. A 30-day Europe–Asia voyage for a large ship could use several thousand tonnes of fuel, costing well over a million dollars. Fuel is one of the biggest costs of running a ship. See how much does a container ship cost.
Divide the fuel by the containers on board, and the figure per box is small. Shipping a container across the world uses far less fuel per tonne than air freight or even road transport over the same distance, which is why sea freight is so cheap.
| Fuel | Notas |
|---|---|
| Very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) | The most common fuel since global sulphur limits were tightened in 2020 |
| Heavy fuel oil with scrubbers | Some ships use exhaust cleaning systems |
| Marine gas oil (MGO) | Cleaner, used in emission control areas |
| LNG (liquefied natural gas) | Used on a growing number of new ships |
| Methanol | New ships from lines such as Maersk can run on it |
A passenger on a cargo ship that is sailing anyway adds very little extra fuel, which is why many flight-free travellers choose it. Read eco benefits of traveling by cargo ship y holidays without flying.
More ship facts: how many containers fit on a ship y biggest ships in the world.
A large container ship typically uses about 100–250 tonnes a day, depending on size and speed.
Fuel use rises steeply with speed, so a small speed cut saves a lot of fuel.
A long voyage on a large ship can cost over a million dollars in fuel.
Mostly very low sulphur fuel oil, with growing use of LNG and methanol.
A passenger on a ship that is sailing anyway adds very little extra fuel.
Ask us about passenger cabins on working container ships.
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