The world’s smallest container ship is expected to arrive at Felixstowe Port later this week.

The vessel, MCS Hercules, pictured above, is en route from China and is carrying a container of plastic cutlery for retail giant TK Maxx.

Keen boat watchers will flock to the Suffolk port on Friday to watch the ship, which is just 23 feet long and big enough for only one shipping container.

The owners of the wooden vessel say it is economical to run shipments around the world because it pays its crew of six so little. They do not have any living accommodation on board for the perilous three-month voyage.

Smallest container ship

A spokesman said: “Our clients prefer the personal service that the Hercules offers.

“No longer do they have to load their container up with thousands of others on those gigantic container ships you normally see arriving at Felixstowe.

“Also we do not need to pay Felixstowe Port any money for sending out a pilot ship to meet us and guide us safely to dock. We can just glide in without any fuss at all.”

He added that the Hercules was the seventh one-container ship they had owned because the previous six had overturned and sunk in the Indian Ocean or Pacific.

Shipping enthusiast Lorraine Fisher, 34, said: “It’s so weeny and cute. It’s amazing it got here in one piece.”

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