MSC Zoe is anOlympic-class container ship built byHanwha Ocean and operated by theMediterranean Shipping Company.^[1]MSC Zoe was one of the largestcontainer ships in the world when built in 2015.^[5][6] It is the third of a series of ships built for MSC, afterMSC Oscar andMSC Oliver.^[7]

The container shipMSC Zoe on tow at theEurogate Terminal
History
Name	MSC Zoe
Owner	Mediterranean Shipping Company
Operator	Mediterranean Shipping Company
Port of registry	Panama
Completed	2015
Identification	IMO number: 9703318[1]
General characteristics
Class and type	Olympic-classcontainer ship
Tonnage	192,237 GT 199,272 DWT
Length	395.4 m (1,297 ft)
Beam	59 m (194 ft)
Draught	14.5 m (48 ft)
Installed power	MAN B&W 11S90ME-C two-stroke diesel engine; output: 62.5 MW (83,800 hp)[2]
Propulsion	Single five-blade propeller; blade length: 10.5 m (34 ft)[2]
Speed	22.8 kn (42.2 km/h; 26.2 mph)[3][4]
Capacity	19,224TEU
Crew	22 (lifeboat capacity = 35)[3]

MSC Zoe takes her name from the four year old grand-daughter ofGianluigi Aponte, theMediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) president and chief executive.^[3]

MSC Zoe was built byDaewoo inSouth Korea for $140 million.^[3]

At a length of 395 m (1,296 ft) and beam of 59 m (194 ft),MSC Zoe has adraft of 14.5 m (48 ft). She has a capacity of 19,224TEU and a cargo capacity (dwt) of 199,272 tonnes.

The vessel's main engine is a two-strokeMAN B&W 11S90ME-C diesel engine, which is a height of 15.5 m (51 ft), a length of 25 m (82 ft) and a breadth of 11 m (36 ft).^[2][4] The engine has amaximum continuous rating of 62.5 MW (83,800 hp) at 82.2 rpm and a normal continuous rating of 56.25 MW (75,430 hp) at 79.4 rpm.^[2]

On 1 January 2019, 342 containers went overboard whilstMSC Zoe was sailing on theNorth Sea. Two hundred ninety-seven containers were lost north of theDutch islandAmeland, the remaining containers some hours later north of the German islandBorkum.^[8] Nineteen of the containers and their contents – includingorganic peroxides, children's toys, shoes, bags, cushions, chairs, televisions, and plastic packaging – washed ashore on the Dutch islands ofVlieland, Terschelling,Ameland andSchiermonnikoog and German island Borkum in theWadden Sea, a protected UNESCO biosphere reserve.^[9][10][11]

In 2020, theDutch Safety Board, GermanBSU andPanama Maritime Authority published a joint report on their investigation of the incident. It notes that the loss of containers occurred over several hours, due to strong rolling and the associated accelerations caused by the prevalent sea conditions at the time. Although it found that the loading and securing of the cargo was in accordance with regulations at the time, it recommended to revise the regulations with special consideration of very large container ships.^[12]

In 2019 the shipping company created a list of places at sea where contents of the containers still can be found but did not publish it. After a lengthy legal battle against the Dutch government (who deemed the waste "litter") this list was made public in April 2024. It contains 6000 places at sea, and it totals around 800,000 kg (1,800,000 lb), circa a quarter of the original waste.^[13][14]

• MSC Oscar^[15][16]
• MSC Oliver^[15][16]
• MSC Maya^[17]
• MSC Sveva^[18]

• List of largest container ships
• Largest container shipping companies