As world's largest ship arrives in Britain, China shows its manufacturing might

Blackleaf

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 9, 2004
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The world's largest ship - which is a quarter of a mile long - arrives in Britain from China to deliver goods that were made in that country.

China now is to the 21st Century as Britain was to the 19th Century - THE world's manufacturing superpower. In the 19th century, Britain was the "Workshop of the World." Now China is the 21st Century's "Workshop of the World."

China is now the world's biggest manufacturer and exporter of toys, steel and electrical goods and, in the 2030s, will overtake the United States as the world's largest economy.
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World's biggest ship, SS Santa, on way to Britain with Christmas presents

30th October 2006



The Emma Maersk 3, the world's largest ship is almost a quarter of a mile long








More than 12,000 MP3 players, 9,000 pairs of trainers and nearly two million Christmas decorations are part of the largest ever consignment of Christmas goods to reach Europe.

Arriving on Saturday at Suffolk, the Emma Maersk 3 is a quarter mile long (397 metres), can carry over 11,000 containers, is powered by the world’s largest diesel engine and has a propeller weighing 130 tonnes.

The boat bares witness to the huge growth of goods coming to Europe from China since it’s entry into the World Trade Organisation.

Yentian port, where the Emma Maersk departed, now exports more than 30,000 containers a day and China is now the world’s biggest maker and exporter of toys, steel and electrical goods.

Also on board are potato mashers, cooking graters, tooth picks, sofas and cat food.

But trade between China and Europe to is very much one-way traffic, raising fears more than a million jobs in European agriculture and textiles could be lost within a year.

Caroline Lucas, green MEP for south-east England told the Guardian, that the Emma Maersk reflected a worrying trend in the movement of goods from China.

"These are the goods that Europe used to make. We are faced with a country that has almost absolute advantage in an increase number of sectors.

"This is a triumph for multinational capital, not for Chinese workers who, as well as suffering from some of the world’s worst labour exploitation on record, are also losing jobs at a phenomenal rate."

dailymail.co.uk
 

Dalreg

Electoral Member
Sep 29, 2006
191
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Saskatchewan eh!
Huge ship but even larger are planned/under construction. 15 000 container ships will soon be here. Having loaded/unloaded containers for many years it is amazing how much one can pack inside.

Just one note. In the shipping industry a standard container is a 20 foot unit. But most units on these larger ships are 40 foot cans. So the actual number of containers in significantly lower than 11 000.
 

Tonington

Hall of Fame Member
Oct 27, 2006
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Wow. Thats one helluva ship. Does a ship this big have any increased security risks?