National Maritime Museum acquires model of HMM Algeciras, one of the largest container ships in the world

Royal Museums Greenwich has acquired a 1:150 scale model of the container ship HMM Algeciras, which is now on display in the Voyagers Gallery at the National Maritime Museum.  

Container ships have revolutionised the world since the 1950s, facilitating fast and cost-efficient global trade. When it launched in April 2020, HMM Algeciras was the largest container ship in the world, with a capacity to carry 23,964 twenty-foot shipping containers – the equivalent of 1,150,272,000 bananas, or seventeen bananas per person in the UK. At a shade under 400 metres, the HMM Algeciras is longer than The Shard is tall. 

Delivered in April 2020, HMM Algeciras was the first of several Magamax-24 class ships delivered to HMM and arrived on its maiden voyage at London Gateway Terminal on the Thames in June 2020. The optimised hull design and highly energy-efficient engines made a significant leap forward not only in size, but in world-leading environmental performance, and marked part of HMM’s ambitious journey to achieve Net Zero carbon emissions across its container fleet by 2050. 

The ship model measures 1620 x 2960 x 760 mm. It was donated to the Museum by the operators of the HMM Algeciras class of container ships, HMM Co Ltd., a South Korean container transportation and shipping company.  

It is the latest addition to the world’s largest collection of ship models. The National Maritime Museum holds approximately 4600 ship models, with a broad range of vessels dating from 1800BC to the present day represented. 

Laura Boon, Lloyd’s Register Foundation Senior Curator for Contemporary Maritime, said ‘the model is an important acquisition for the Museum as it enables us to continue to tell the important story of the role maritime still plays in all our lives, with over 95% of all trade to the UK still being carried by sea.’  

‘We have been very encouraged that Royal Museums Greenwich continues to engage visitors with contemporary maritime issues, and increase public awareness related to the importance of shipping both historically and also engaging the public concerning current and future issues. We were therefore delighted to make the donation of this model to add to the world leading collection of model ships at the National Maritime Museum’ says Peter Livey FCILT, Managing Director (Great Britain) for HMM. 

Information for visitors 

Venue:                      National Maritime Museum, London 
Admission:               Free 
Website:                   www.rmg.co.uk  
Visitor Enquiries:    020 8858 4422 | bookings@rmg.co.uk 
Twitter:                     @RMGreenwich
Instagram:               @royalmuseumsgreenwich  
Facebook                  /royalmuseumsgreenwich  

Notes to editors 

  1. The National Maritime Museum holds the world’s largest maritime collection. It is part of Royal Museums Greenwich which also incorporates the Royal Observatory Greenwich, the 17th-century Queen’s House and clipper ship Cutty Sark. This unique collection of museums and heritage buildings, which form a key part of the Maritime Greenwich UNESCO World Heritage Site, welcomes visitors from around the world every year and is a major centre of education and research. The mission of Royal Museums Greenwich is to enrich people’s understanding of the sea, the exploration of space, and Britain's role in world history. For more information visit www.rmg.co.uk.

     
  2. HMM Co.Ltd. is South Korea’s national flagship carrier headquartered in Seoul with more than 45 years of experience within the shipping industry. Since launching its first service with three VLCCs (Very Large Crude Carriers) in 1976, HMM has expanded into a world-class integrated logistics service provider by adding various types of vessels – container ships, bulk carriers, heavy lifts, and special product carriers. Today, HMM is the eighth largest global container shipping company. In the UK, HMM has offices in London, Birmingham, and Southampton. HMM are also actively engaged in sustainability improvement within the maritime supply chain, and at the 2019 Lloyd’s Loading List Global Freight Awards, HMM was the winner of the Environmental Award. For more information visit www.hmm21.com.
     

For further information or images, please contact: 

Victoria Mottram
Press & PR Manager, Science & Cultural 
press@rmg.co.uk | 020 8312 6789