Empire State Building sure is tall, right? Why are we talking about Empire State Building? For the sake of comparison of course; meet CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin! This cargo ship is longer than the height of Empire State Building. It is bigger than the largest aircraft carriers currently being used by the US Navy and is capable of carrying volume that equals that of 235 Olympic swimming pools. The vessel has docked at the Port of Los Angeles thus making it the biggest container ship to have ever made it to United States.
It arrived in Los Angeles on Saturday as first part of a multi-stage trip that has been planned along the US west coast. According to the trip-plan, it will be stopping in Oakland on 31st December. A time-lapse video was made of the vessel arriving at the port and with the backdrop of Port of Los Angeles’ big cranes, the ship doesn’t look too big, however, comparing it with the largest boats roaming the sea makes it official; Benjamin Franklin is a monster cargo ship. The deck measures in at 1,300 ft. from prow to stern – to give you an idea; this is longer than three football fields – and it is able to carry 18,000 containers across the world’s oceans while making use of an engine that is capable of creating thrust equal to 11 Boeing 74-400 engines.
Eric Garcetti, Los Angeles’ Mayor said that the city was selected by the French shipping company, CMA CGM, as the first stop to concur to the fact that the port was ‘among the world’s greatest.’
