The largest container and cargo vessels afloat are ultra-large container ships belonging to classes such as the MSC Irina and its sister ships, which boast a nominal carrying capacity exceeding 24,346 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units). Built by major shipyards like China's Jiangsu Yangzijiang Shipbuilding Group, these maritime behemoths measure nearly 400 meters in length and dominate the high-volume deep-water shipping lanes connecting Asia with Europe.