How Much Fuel Does a Container Ship Use?

Last updated: 23 October 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.

Aerial view of a container ship — Fuel use rises sharply with speed.

Why speed matters so much

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.

How much does a voyage cost in fuel?

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.

Cargo ship at twilight — New ships increasingly run on LNG or methanol.

Fuel per container

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.

Types of marine fuel

Fuel	Remarques
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

Is cargo ship travel eco-friendly?

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 et holidays without flying.

More ship facts: how many containers fit on a ship et biggest ships in the world.

Foire aux questions

How much fuel does a container ship use per day?

A large container ship typically uses about 100–250 tonnes a day, depending on size and speed.

Why do ships slow down to save fuel?

Fuel use rises steeply with speed, so a small speed cut saves a lot of fuel.

How much does it cost to fuel a container ship?

A long voyage on a large ship can cost over a million dollars in fuel.

What fuel do container ships use?

Mostly very low sulphur fuel oil, with growing use of LNG and methanol.

Is cargo ship travel more eco-friendly than flying?

A passenger on a ship that is sailing anyway adds very little extra fuel.

Travel the low-carbon way

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Steve Joury

Conseiller en voyages Cargo chez Cargoholidays

Passionné par le voyage lent et la mer. Steve connaît la plupart des routes maritimes et des procédures pour découvrir notre beau monde depuis la mer sur un porte-conteneurs. Il a participé à la plupart des voyages, de 7 jours en cargo à 140 jours à bord.

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