{"id":99956,"date":"2026-10-23T11:33:06","date_gmt":"2026-10-23T11:33:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/how-much-fuel-does-a-container-ship-use"},"modified":"2026-10-23T11:33:10","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T11:33:10","slug":"how-much-fuel-does-a-container-ship-use","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/how-much-fuel-does-a-container-ship-use","title":{"rendered":"Quelle est la consommation de carburant d'un porte-conteneurs ? Consommation et co\u00fbts"},"content":{"rendered":"<head><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\n    \"@context\": \"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\n    \"@graph\": [\n        {\n            \"@type\": \"BlogPosting\",\n            \"headline\": \"How Much Fuel Does a Container Ship Use? Consumption and Costs\",\n            \"description\": \"How much fuel a container ship uses: tonnes per day at different speeds, cost of a voyage, slow steaming, LNG and methanol ships, and fuel per container.\",\n            \"mainEntityOfPage\": \"https:\\\/\\\/cargoholidays.com\\\/how-much-fuel-does-a-container-ship-use\",\n            \"image\": \"https:\\\/\\\/cargoholidays.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/10\\\/how-much-fuel-does-a-container-ship-use-cargoholidays-1024x576.jpg\",\n            \"datePublished\": \"2026-10-23\",\n            \"dateModified\": \"2026-10-23\",\n            \"inLanguage\": \"en-GB\",\n            \"author\": {\n                \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n                \"name\": \"CargoHolidays\"\n            },\n            \"publisher\": {\n                \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n                \"name\": \"CargoHolidays\",\n                \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/cargoholidays.com\"\n            }\n        },\n        {\n            \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n            \"mainEntity\": [\n                {\n                    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n                    \"name\": \"How much fuel does a container ship use per day?\",\n                    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                        \"text\": \"A large container ship typically uses about 100&ndash;250 tonnes a day, depending on size and speed.\"\n                    }\n                },\n                {\n                    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n                    \"name\": \"Why do ships slow down to save fuel?\",\n                    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                        \"text\": \"Fuel use rises steeply with speed, so a small speed cut saves a lot of fuel.\"\n                    }\n                },\n                {\n                    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n                    \"name\": \"How much does it cost to fuel a container ship?\",\n                    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                        \"text\": \"A long voyage on a large ship can cost over a million dollars in fuel.\"\n                    }\n                },\n                {\n                    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n                    \"name\": \"What fuel do container ships use?\",\n                    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                        \"text\": \"Mostly very low sulphur fuel oil, with growing use of LNG and methanol.\"\n                    }\n                },\n                {\n                    \"@type\": \"Question\",\n                    \"name\": \"Is cargo ship travel more eco-friendly than flying?\",\n                    \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n                        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n                        \"text\": \"A passenger on a ship that is sailing anyway adds very little extra fuel.\"\n                    }\n                }\n            ]\n        }\n    ]\n}<\/script>\n<\/head><div class=\"ch-post\"><p class=\"ch-updated\">Derni\u00e8re mise \u00e0 jour : 23 octobre 2026<\/p><p><strong>A large container ship can burn around 100 to 250 tonnes of fuel a day,<\/strong> 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&rsquo;s how much fuel container ships use, and why speed makes such a big difference.<\/p>Fuel use by ship size<div class=\"ch-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Ship size<\/th><th>Typical fuel use at normal service speed<\/th><th>At slow steaming<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Feeder (1,000&ndash;3,000 TEU)<\/td><td>About 20&ndash;50 tonnes a day<\/td><td>About 15&ndash;30 tonnes a day<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Mid-size (5,000&ndash;10,000 TEU)<\/td><td>About 80&ndash;150 tonnes a day<\/td><td>About 50&ndash;90 tonnes a day<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Mega-ship (18,000&ndash;24,000 TEU)<\/td><td>About 150&ndash;250 tonnes a day<\/td><td>About 90&ndash;150 tonnes a day<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div><p><em>Indicative figures. Actual consumption depends on hull design, engine, weather, load and speed.<\/em><\/p><figure style=\"margin:1.6em 0\"><img src=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/AdobeStock_299033911-1024x575.jpeg\" alt=\"Aerial view of a container ship\" width=\"1024\" height=\"575\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:12px;display:block\" title=\"Aerial view of a container ship\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:.85em;color:#6b7280;margin-top:.45em;text-align:center\">Fuel use rises sharply with speed.<\/figcaption><\/figure><h2>Why speed matters so much<\/h2><p>A ship&rsquo;s fuel use rises steeply as speed increases. Roughly, <strong>cutting speed by 10% can cut fuel use by around 20&ndash;25%<\/strong>. That is why many shipping lines practise slow steaming. Read <a href=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/how-fast-do-container-ships-go\/\">how fast do container ships go<\/a>.<\/p><h2>How much does a voyage cost in fuel?<\/h2><p>Marine fuel prices vary, but often run at several hundred US dollars per tonne. A 30-day Europe&ndash;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 <a href=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/how-much-does-a-container-ship-cost\/\">how much does a container ship cost<\/a>.<\/p><figure style=\"margin:1.6em 0\"><img src=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Cargo-Ship-Travel-Cargoholidays18-1024x476.jpg\" alt=\"Cargo ship at twilight\" width=\"1024\" height=\"476\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:12px;display:block\" title=\"Cargo ship at twilight\"><figcaption style=\"font-size:.85em;color:#6b7280;margin-top:.45em;text-align:center\">New ships increasingly run on LNG or methanol.<\/figcaption><\/figure><h2>Fuel per container<\/h2><p>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.<\/p><h2>Types of marine fuel<\/h2><div class=\"ch-table\"><table><thead><tr><th>Fuel<\/th><th>Remarques<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO)<\/td><td>The most common fuel since global sulphur limits were tightened in 2020<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Heavy fuel oil with scrubbers<\/td><td>Some ships use exhaust cleaning systems<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Marine gas oil (MGO)<\/td><td>Cleaner, used in emission control areas<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>LNG (liquefied natural gas)<\/td><td>Used on a growing number of new ships<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Methanol<\/td><td>New ships from lines such as Maersk can run on it<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div><h2>Is cargo ship travel eco-friendly?<\/h2><p>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 <a href=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/eco-benefits-of-traveling-by-cargo-ship\/\">eco benefits of traveling by cargo ship<\/a> et <a href=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/holidays-without-flying-from-uk\/\">holidays without flying<\/a>.<\/p><p>More ship facts: <a href=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/how-many-containers-fit-on-a-ship\/\">how many containers fit on a ship<\/a> et <a href=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/biggest-ships-in-the-world\/\">biggest ships in the world<\/a>.<\/p><h2>Foire aux questions<\/h2><div class=\"ch-faq\"><h3>How much fuel does a container ship use per day?<\/h3><p>A large container ship typically uses about 100&ndash;250 tonnes a day, depending on size and speed.<\/p><h3>Why do ships slow down to save fuel?<\/h3><p>Fuel use rises steeply with speed, so a small speed cut saves a lot of fuel.<\/p><h3>How much does it cost to fuel a container ship?<\/h3><p>A long voyage on a large ship can cost over a million dollars in fuel.<\/p><h3>What fuel do container ships use?<\/h3><p>Mostly very low sulphur fuel oil, with growing use of LNG and methanol.<\/p><h3>Is cargo ship travel more eco-friendly than flying?<\/h3><p>A passenger on a ship that is sailing anyway adds very little extra fuel.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"ch-cta\"><strong>Travel the low-carbon way<\/strong><p>Ask us about passenger cabins on working container ships.<\/p><a class=\"ch-btn\" href=\"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/sinformer-pour-une-croisiere-cargo\/\">Get a voyage quote &rarr;<\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<style>\n.ch-post{font-family:inherit;line-height:1.7;color:#1f2937;max-width:820px;margin:0 auto}\n.ch-post h2{font-size:1.6em;margin:1.8em 0 .6em;color:#0b2545;border-bottom:3px solid #f5a623;padding-bottom:.25em}\n.ch-post h3{font-size:1.15em;margin:1.4em 0 .3em;color:#0b2545}\n.ch-post p{margin:0 0 1em}\n.ch-post ul,.ch-post ol{margin:0 0 1.2em 1.3em}\n.ch-post li{margin:.35em 0}\n.ch-post .ch-updated{font-size:.9em;color:#6b7280;margin-bottom:1.2em}\n.ch-post .ch-table{overflow-x:auto;margin:1.2em 0 1.6em}\n.ch-post table{border-collapse:collapse;width:100%;font-size:.95em}\n.ch-post th{background:#0b2545;color:#fff;text-align:left;padding:.65em .8em}\n.ch-post td{padding:.6em .8em;border-bottom:1px solid #e5e7eb;vertical-align:top}\n.ch-post tr:nth-child(even) td{background:#f6f8fb}\n.ch-post .ch-faq{background:#f6f8fb;border-radius:12px;padding:1em 1.4em;margin:1em 0 2em}\n.ch-post .ch-faq h3{margin-top:1em}\n.ch-post .ch-cta{background:linear-gradient(135deg,#0b2545,#13315c);color:#fff;border-radius:14px;padding:1.6em 1.8em;margin:2.2em 0;text-align:center}\n.ch-post .ch-cta strong{display:block;font-size:1.35em;margin-bottom:.4em;color:#fff}\n.ch-post .ch-cta p{color:#dbe4f0;margin:.2em 0 1.1em}\n.ch-post .ch-btn{display:inline-block;background:#f5a623;color:#0b2545 !important;font-weight:700;text-decoration:none;padding:.8em 1.6em;border-radius:999px}\n.ch-post .ch-btn:hover{background:#ffbb45}\n.ch-post em{color:#4b5563}\n<\/style>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How much fuel a container ship uses: tonnes per day at different speeds, cost of a voyage, slow steaming, LNG and methanol ships, and fuel per container.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":99955,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"single3.php","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[356,118],"tags":[1556,1748,1750,1588,1749],"yst_prominent_words":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99956"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=99956"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99956\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":99957,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/99956\/revisions\/99957"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/99955"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=99956"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=99956"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=99956"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cargoholidays.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=99956"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}