Building Maersk ships at Daewoo shipyard in South Korea - in pictures

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  A welder works on an under-construction Maersk triple-E class container ship at the Daewoo DSME shipyard in Okpo, 60km south of Busan, South Korea. At some 400 metres long and capable of carrying over 18,000 containers, triple-E class ships are the largest currently in operation. Expected to be deployed on Maersk’s Asia - Europe routes, the ships use a combination of engine technology and a slower cruising speed to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, and are touted as being considerably more efficient than rival classes. Ed Jones / AFP

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  Workers carry materials as they enter an under-construction Maersk triple-E class container ship at the Daewoo DSME shipyard. Ed Jones / AFP

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  A general view of an under-construction Maersk triple-E class container ship. Ed Jones / AFP

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  A worker inspects a container hold beneath the decks of an under-construction Maersk triple-E class container ship. Ed Jones / AFP

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  A test container is lowered on to the deck of an under-construction Maersk triple-E class container ship at the Daewoo DSME shipyard in Okpo. Ed Jones / AFP

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  Workers queue to enter an under-construction Maersk triple-E class container ship. Ed Jones / AFP

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  A worker prepares a hallway for painting below the decks of an under-construction Maersk triple-E class container ship. Ed Jones / AFP

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  Workers add wiring to the bridge of an under-construction Maersk triple-E class container ship. Ed Jones / AFP

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  Workers below the decks of an under-construction Maersk triple-E class container ship. Ed Jones / AFP

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  Workers stand before instrument panels in the engine control room of an under-construction Maersk triple-E class container ship. Ed Jones / AFP

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  Workers take a break outside an under-construction Maersk triple-E class container ship. Ed Jones / AFP

Danish shipping company Maersk has ordered 20 triple-E class vessels across two contracts totalling some 3.8 billion US dollars, with deliveries to be completed in 2015.