Maritime fans are in for a treat this evening when the world's biggest cargo ship sets sail tonight and makes its way down the Thames Estuary.

The massive HMM Algeciras, which is longer than the Eiffel Tower and can hold a staggering 24,000 containers, is expected to leave Thurrock at 6.15pm and should be off the Isle of Sheppey at 7.15pm on its way back to China.

The leviathan of the oceans arrived in the UK for the first time on Sunday at the end of its maiden voyage which took in South Korea, the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium before docking in Britain.

The 400m (1,312ft) long and 61m (200ft) wide ship, which was only completed this year, was delivering a variety of goods to the DP World Gateway London terminal in Essex.

In comparison, the legendary Titanic, which was the biggest liner in the world when it was launched in 1912, was 269m long and 28m wide.

Preparations began more than six months ago when Port of London Authority's team began using a computer model to simulate its arrival. The seabed was surveyed to ensure there were no obstructions.

Two PLA pilots guided the vessel into port with London Port Control coordinating river traffic. A harbour launch was on standby as the ship went alongside.

The ship is longer than London's The Shard (310m), the Eiffel Tower (324m) in Paris and is comparable in length to the Empire State Building (443m) in New York.

Its return journey to China will go via Singapore.

Peter Livey, managing director for Britain at South Korean shipping company Hyundai Merchant Marine (HMM), which owns the vessel, described the voyage as a "major milestone."

He said: "Ships of this size give us the capacity and flexibility to get our customers' goods to the right place at the right time."

The ship can travel at up to 12.9 knots and has a gross tonnage of 228,283. It is sailing under the flag of Panama.

Ernst Schulze, the chief executive officer at DP World UK, said: “The visit by HMM Algeciras is testament to the capabilities we offer, not just at London Gateway, but at DP World Southampton, too, where her sister ship HMM Oslo is due to call later this month."

The ground-breaking Megamax-24 ships can carry up to 24,000 containers, 200 more than the previous record, but are also considered 'green' because of their specially designed hulls and energy-efficient engines.

It has a deck area of more than 24,000 square meters, about the size of three and a half standard football pitches.

It has been carrying chemical, mechanical and electrical and non-staple food products.

Read more: Sheppey stories here.