Final answer:
The capacity of ocean liners, particularly container ships, is measured in 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs), with a typical ship carrying up to 10,000 TEUs. Container ships spread their ballast water discharge across multiple ports, and a significant portion of their ballast water is from the open ocean, impacting capacity and operational patterns.
Step-by-step explanation:
The capacity of ocean liners, specifically container ships, is typically measured by the number of 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) they can carry. For example, a ship operating between Shanghai and Los Angeles might travel 10,400 km, carrying approximately 10,000 TEUs. Each of these containers bears an average of something like 10 tons of cargo, allowing the ship to carry a full load of around 100,000 tons. The ballast water (BW) capacity and discharge rates are also pivotal in determining the capacity and operational patterns of these vessels. Notably, container ships tend to discharge less BW per discharge event than other ship types like bulkers or tankers and spread their discharge over multiple ports.
Container ships engage in oceanic overseas BW, implying they entrain and discharge ballast water collected from beyond 200 nautical miles offshore. This operational behavior affects their management patterns, significantly since approximately 41% of their overseas BW discharge is oceanic, which varies among different coasts. The frequency of BW discharge is also an important aspect, with container ships discharging at less than 10% of their overseas arrivals during the years 2011-2013. These operational details are important when considering the overall capacity and efficiency of container ship operations.