Most Emission-Efficient Container Ships
Ships ranked by AER (Annual Efficiency Ratio) — grams of CO₂ emitted per tonne of deadweight carried one nautical mile (g CO₂/dwt·nm), the IMO carbon-intensity metric behind the CII rating — from official EU MRV emissions data for reporting year 2024. Lower is greener. Pick a segment and size class to see the greenest vessels first.
| # | Vessel | Size (TEU) | Built | Carbon intensity — AER (g CO₂/dwt·nm) | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1251 |
GREAT TEMA
IMO 9935038
|
2,000 TEU | 2023 |
9.8
|
C |
| 1252 |
NORDPACIFIC
IMO 9802487
|
2,500 TEU | 2018 |
9.8
|
C |
| 1253 |
AEOLUS
IMO 9088524
|
1,906 TEU | 1996 |
9.9
|
C |
| 1254 |
MSC RENAISSANCE III
IMO 9358436
|
3,400 TEU | 2006 |
9.9
|
C |
| 1255 |
GH FOEHN
IMO 9377559
|
2,700 TEU | 2008 |
9.9
|
C |
| 1256 |
GEMLIK EXPRESS
IMO 9751107
|
1,730 TEU | 2017 |
9.9
|
C |
| 1257 |
MSC ANGELA
IMO 9351593
|
4,254 TEU | 2008 |
9.9
|
C |
| 1258 |
OOCL KOBE
IMO 9329526
|
4,506 TEU | 2007 |
9.9
|
C |
| 1259 |
ONTARIO EXPRESS
IMO 9290816
|
5,512 TEU | 2005 |
9.9
|
C |
| 1260 |
JAMAICA EXPRESS
IMO 9686912
|
6,800 TEU | 2015 |
9.9
|
C |
| 1261 |
BALTIMORE STAR
IMO 9440796
|
4,300 TEU | 2009 |
9.9
|
D |
| 1262 |
MSC MELANI III
IMO 9399741
|
2,750 TEU | 2007 |
9.9
|
D |
| 1263 |
IZMIT EXPRESS
IMO 9740665
|
1,730 TEU | 2017 |
9.9
|
D |
| 1264 |
MANDALAY
IMO 9743502
|
2,239 TEU | 2019 |
9.9
|
D |
| 1265 |
MED TRABZON
IMO 9141780
|
2,052 TEU | 1997 |
10.0
|
D |
| 1266 |
GREAT CASABLANCA
IMO 9935052
|
2,000 TEU | 2024 |
10.0
|
D |
| 1267 |
ALLEGRI
IMO 9127459
|
1,120 TEU | 1997 |
10.0
|
D |
| 1268 |
BAHRI TABUK
IMO 9620968
|
364 TEU | 2013 |
10.0
|
D |
| 1269 |
SEASPAN SYDNEY
IMO 9290103
|
4,253 TEU | 2005 |
10.0
|
D |
| 1270 |
MEXICO EXPRESS
IMO 9686900
|
6,428 TEU | 2015 |
10.0
|
D |
| 1271 |
MSC MASHA 3
IMO 9188219
|
2,169 TEU | 1998 |
10.0
|
D |
| 1272 |
MSC KYUNGMIN
IMO 9967005
|
1,800 TEU | 2025 |
10.0
|
D |
| 1273 |
KASHAN
IMO 9270696
|
2,200 TEU | 2016 |
10.0
|
D |
| 1274 |
NEOKASTRO
IMO 9400215
|
4,043 TEU | 2011 |
10.0
|
D |
| 1275 |
XIN CHANG SHA
IMO 9312559
|
4,250 TEU | 2005 |
10.0
|
D |
| 1276 |
MSC KIM
IMO 9351581
|
4,254 TEU | 2008 |
10.0
|
D |
| 1277 |
MSC CAGLIARI IV
IMO 9318187
|
3,853 TEU | 2007 |
10.0
|
D |
| 1278 |
BIG DOG
IMO 9256377
|
1,400 TEU | 2003 |
10.0
|
D |
| 1279 |
HANSA AUSTRALIA
IMO 9459436
|
3,646 TEU | 2014 |
10.0
|
D |
| 1280 |
CMA CGM TARRAGONA
IMO 9471214
|
4,250 TEU | 2010 |
10.1
|
D |
| 1281 |
ZIM ASIA
IMO 9464716
|
4,308 TEU | 2010 |
10.1
|
D |
| 1282 |
MSC BARBADOS
IMO 9289544
|
5,047 TEU | 2005 |
10.1
|
D |
| 1283 |
MERSIN EXPRESS
IMO 9740653
|
1,730 TEU | 2017 |
10.1
|
D |
| 1284 |
CMA CGM PARANAGUA
IMO 9246683
|
3,091 TEU | 2005 |
10.1
|
D |
| 1285 |
MSC PASSION III
IMO 9399765
|
2,750 TEU | 2008 |
10.1
|
D |
| 1286 |
MAERSK BULAN
IMO 9355343
|
3,100 TEU | 2005 |
10.1
|
D |
| 1287 |
ZIM IBERIA
IMO 9431719
|
4,250 TEU | 2009 |
10.1
|
D |
| 1288 |
MAERSK BOSTON
IMO 9313905
|
4,196 TEU | 2006 |
10.1
|
D |
| 1289 |
LISBON EXPRESS
IMO 9108128
|
2,400 TEU | 1995 |
10.1
|
D |
| 1290 |
CMA CGM SAVANNAH
IMO 9348431
|
4,025 TEU | 2008 |
10.1
|
D |
| 1291 |
GSL MELINA
IMO 9509152
|
3,400 TEU | 2013 |
10.1
|
D |
| 1292 |
SEASPAN NEW DELHI
IMO 9301770
|
4,253 TEU | 2003 |
10.1
|
D |
| 1293 |
ATLANTIC SEA
IMO 9670597
|
3,817 TEU | 2012 |
10.1
|
D |
| 1294 |
CELSIUS NICOSIA
IMO 9330496
|
3,450 TEU | 2007 |
10.1
|
D |
| 1295 |
ITAL BONNY
IMO 9786970
|
2,800 TEU | 2015 |
10.1
|
D |
| 1296 |
MSC ROWAN
IMO 9477610
|
4,250 TEU | 2012 |
10.2
|
D |
| 1297 |
MAERSK BINTAN
IMO 9355288
|
3,194 TEU | 2005 |
10.2
|
D |
| 1298 |
NIKOLAS
IMO 9203526
|
2,506 TEU | 2000 |
10.2
|
D |
| 1299 |
CMA CGM LAPIS
IMO 9386495
|
4,300 TEU | 2009 |
10.2
|
D |
| 1300 |
ATLANTICA PIONEER
IMO 9449120
|
3,635 TEU | 2012 |
10.2
|
D |
Which engines power the greenest fleets?
The main engine is the single largest CO₂ source on board — typically well over 80% of a ship's emissions come from propulsion. We aggregated this ranking the other way around: every engine design is scored by the measured carbon intensity of the vessels carrying it, licensee-built units merged under their design brand. The verdict from the 2024 data — modern dual-fuel designs like MAN B&W's ME-GI and WinGD's X-DF families, together with EGR/SCR-abated and ultra-long-stroke G-type engines, consistently power the most emission-friendly ships in service.
AER (Annual Efficiency Ratio) = annual CO₂ emissions ÷ (deadweight × distance sailed), the IMO carbon-intensity metric used for CII ratings. It is built only from measured CO₂, distance and deadweight — not the self-reported cargo transport-work figure, which is unreliable. Implausible outliers (top 2% per segment) are excluded. Grade A–E reflects each vessel's rank within its segment. Source: EMSA THETIS-MRV.