When it comes to big ships, the first thing that comes to mind is the Titanic. It can certainly be classified as one of the most famous ships that crashed on its first voyage. But there are other huge ships that most people have never even heard of. We invite you to get acquainted with the largest ships in the history of shipbuilding, some of them still sail the oceans, and some have long since been scrapped. The list is based on the vessel's length, gross tonnage and gross tonnage.
10. TI class supertanker
The TI class supertanker Oceania is one of the most beautiful vessels designed for oil transportation. There are four such supertankers in the world. The Oceania's gross payload capacity is 440 thousand tons, with the ability to reach speeds of up to 16-18 knots. The length of the vessel is 380 meters. 9. Berge Emperor
Berge Emperor was the largest oil tanker launched by Mitsui in 1975 and one of the largest tankers in the world. The weight of the vessel is 211360 tons. The first owner was Bergesen d.y. & Co, but then in 1985 the tanker was sold to Maastow BV, where it received a new name. He served there for only a year, and then he was sent for scrap. 8. CMA CGM Alexander von Humboldt
Named after Alexander von Humboldt, the CMA CGM is an Explorer class container ship. It was the largest container ship in the world until the Maersk Triple E class appeared. Its length is 396 meters. The gross lifting capacity is 187,624 tons. 7. Emma Maersk
In the list of the largest ships, Emma Maersk ranks second among the ships still in service. This is the first E-class container ship of eight owned by the A. P. Moller-Maersk Group. It was launched into the water in 2006. The vessel is capable of approximately 11 thousand TEUs. Its length is 397.71 meters. 6. Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller
The Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller is a leading E-class container ship. It has the largest cargo capacity in the world and is also the longest vessel in 2013. Its length is 399 meters. Maximum speed- 23 knots with a lifting capacity of 18270 TEU. It was built for Maersk at the South Korean plant Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering. 5. Esso Atlantic
Esso Atlantic is one of the most popular names in the history of large ships. The huge vessel, 406.57 meters long, has an incredible gross lifting capacity of 516,891 tons. She served 35 years primarily as an oil tanker and was scrapped in Pakistan in 2002. 4. Batillus
Batillus is a supertanker built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique for the French subsidiary of Shell Oil. Its gross lifting capacity is 554 thousand tons, speed is 16-17 knots, length is 414.22 meters. This is the fourth largest ship in the world. It made its last flight in December 1985. 3. Pierre Guillaumat
The world's third largest ship is named after the French politician, founder of the Elf Aquitaine oil company Pierre Guillaume. It was built in 1977 in Chantiers de l’Atlantique for the Nationale de Navigation company. The ship served for six years, and then it was scrapped due to incredible unprofitability. Due to its enormous size, its use was severely limited. It could not pass through either the Panama or Suez Canals. And the ship could not enter all ports. The gross load capacity was almost 555 thousand tons, speed 16 knots, length 414.22 meters. 2. Seawise Giant
The Mont supertanker was known as different names, he was called the queen of oceans and rivers. The ship was built in 1979 at the Japanese shipyards of Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. It was badly damaged during the Iran-Iraq War and was sunk because it was deemed beyond repair. But it was later raised and renovated, calling it Happy Giant. In December 2009 it made its last voyage. At that time it was the largest ship in the world, but it still retains the title of the largest tanker. 1. Prelude FLNG
Prelude is the largest operational vessel in the world, built in 2013 in South Korea. Its length is 488 meters, width 78 meters. It is intended for transportation of liquefied natural gas. Its construction required 260 thousand tons of steel, and when fully loaded the weight exceeds 600 thousand tons. There were no pleasure tourist ships yet. In fact, there are dozens of airliners from different companies, approximately the same in size and competing with each other in luxury. In many ways they are similar to each other. Let's at least look at the BIGGEST one. Along the way, we’ll add this boat to our
Royal Caribbean International has commissioned Finnish shipbuilders to build a completely new class of passenger liners that will be able to hold the palm for many years. This is how the cruise ship Oasis of the Seas was born, which was launched as the largest passenger ship in the world on October 28, 2009. In addition, the liner won first place in another category, as the most expensive ship on the planet. $1.24 billion was spent on its construction; the average cost of keeping such a vessel in port will cost its owners $230,000.
The new Genesis class ships, the first-born Oasis of the Seas and the already under construction Allure of the Seas, surpassed their predecessor Freedom of the Seas and became 21 m longer, 8.5 m wider and almost 43 percent heavier. .
The passenger ships of the Genesis project have become truly remarkable liners. This bold design, and a lot of innovations and technological advances in amenities for passengers, all this will now help attract new customers to unforgettable sea travel.
The Oasis of the Seas liner incorporates all the best that is available on the ships of Royal Caribbean International. Its first voyage on December 5, 2009 will be held on a grand scale, including the most luxurious party at sea. For its guests this is an amazing sea voyage, and for the cruise ship “Oasis of the Seas” it is a readiness to withstand any threat: hurricanes, giant waves and even contagious diseases.
The ship was built by the shipbuilding company STX Europe specifically for Royal Caribbean International; the construction of the Oasis of the Seas cost £855 million. The length of the ship is 361 meters, width - 66, and its highest point rises 72 meters above the water surface. The liner's displacement is 225 thousand tons. Oasis is 40% larger than any other cruise ship in the world. The ship, five times the size of the Titanic, can accommodate 6,360 passengers and 2,160 crew on sixteen decks in 2,704 cabins. By the way, the new liner is 2 times larger than the previous record holder - Queen Mary II.
The vessel is equipped with 6 Wärtsilä engines - three 12-cylinder and three 16-cylinder. Together, its power plants generate a power of 96 MW, which allows the ship to reach speeds of up to 22.6 maritime knots. The ship's new owners were very surprised to learn that the Oasis had four more cabins than originally planned.
New safety measures and the design of completely new features for cruising have made Oasis of the Seas one of the most anticipated cruise ships in history. The ship has so-called telescopic pipes, which can be reduced if it is necessary to sail under the bridge. The world's largest cruise ship, Oasis of the Seas, had to be partially dismantled so it could pass under Denmark's Great Belt Bridge. But even after the height of the pipes was reduced, the distance between the ship and the construction structure was less than half a meter. For safety reasons, traffic on the bridge was blocked for 15 minutes. Hundreds of people gathered on both sides of the river to watch the brightly lit cruise ship, which rises above the water like a 20-story building.
There is a lot of entertainment here, both for ordinary people and for millionaires. The ship is equipped with a water amphitheater, a carousel (made "life-size"), a floating park, an ice skating rink, a golf course, 4 swimming pools, which required a total of 2300 tons of water, volleyball and basketball courts, a climbing wall and a children's area with theme parks and children's science labs. Among other things, it has 10 spa baths and surfing simulators. The ship is so large that it is divided into “districts” with special themes, including a tropical area with palm trees and wines. In total, 12 thousand plants and 56 trees were planted on the ship - this is the world's first park on a ship with an area of 2000 square meters. m, which became a kind of analogue of “Central” Park in New York. Therefore, its passengers can relax in the park in the shade of real trees, listen to Broadway musicals and watch an ice show.
A 750-seat outdoor amphitheater is located aft and is modeled after an ancient Greek amphitheater. The indoor theater, located in another part of the ship, can accommodate 1,300 guests. A two-week cruise on the miracle ship Oasis of the Seas will cost a fairly modest amount: from £1,300 for a place in the cheapest cabin. Its sister ship, Allure of the Seas, is scheduled for completion in late 2010.
Passengers like to celebrate all the time, but if the cruise is “premium class”, and almost all the people are wealthy, then on board the ship there should be about 20,000 bottles of champagne, more than 14,000 kg of meat products, 44,000 fresh eggs, 6,600 kg of salad, 3,000 kg of onions, 22,000 kg of potatoes and this is only a small part of the food supply.
After loading is completed, the cruise ship Oasis of the Seas sets off on its first cruise. And if you forgot something, then, alas, it’s too late to correct the mistakes. The liner left the port of Everglades and the cruise began.
Doctors on the Oasis of the Seas cruise ship are hoping to avoid another type of natural disaster. If at least two people with a viral disease board the ship, it will spread instantly, since everyone is in a confined space. The liner is equipped with disinfectants in all public places, especially before meals.
Cruises on a ship usually guarantee first-class food 24 hours a day. Especially during holiday cruises, when the ship’s staff throws a real feast on board the ship. The restaurants serve the most exquisite dishes.
And waste disposal is the most important part of the internal structure of the ship. The Oasis of the Seas has its own waste treatment plant, where all waste is carefully sorted. Tin cans are pressed, glass is broken to prepare for recycling, and all other solid waste is stored until it can be dumped at the nearest port, because the Oasis of the Seas cruise ship is an environmentally friendly ship.
More than three hundred cooks work on board the ship. It's in the galley that $2 million worth of food is found. Due to strict hygiene regulations, the galley is prohibited for all but registered employees. Every day, about 70,000 main dishes are served on the ship, of which 15,000 are dessert.
The Cruise Director is responsible for all entertainment during the cruise. The most difficult part of his job is to make sure that the guests are satisfied. He plans entertainment, communicates with guests and supports them good mood. There is an own film studio on board. Its employees film daily material on board the ship, and then, after editing, broadcast it to the cabins, usually in the evening.
No less amazing place on the Oasis of the Seas cruise ship is “ Royal Promenade", which runs along the center of the vessel. There is a unique illuminated transparent elevator here. This place has so many shops and bars that it looks like a small town. There is plenty of entertainment to be had on board the Oasis of the Seas cruise ship.
Traditionally, an artificial wave pool is installed on the upper deck. Its pumps pump up to 112,000 liters of water per minute.
One of the most popular events on the ship is the theater, which seats about 2,000 people. The show on ice also attracts a lot of spectators. To ensure that everything goes without falls, engineers turn on the ship's stabilization system.
February 24, 2010- the Royal Carribean company realized that many people might like the idea of tracking one person to others, and they were right, the new product quickly became very popular
On the world's largest cruise ship, Oasis of the Seas, Royal Caribbean is offering the latest in IT technology, ID bracelets and iPhone mobile phones so that people can find each other in the countless rooms of the giant ship. Wristbands are personal radio frequency identifiers RFID, although they can be not only bracelets, but also badges or clips. WiFi operates throughout the ship, the signal from the bracelet via WiFi goes to an Apple iPhone equipped with detailed diagram liner, that is, at any time one person can know exactly where another is.
There are almost 1,000 places on the ship where you can access WiFi, and at first the company just wanted to make it so that people could communicate with each other via mobile phones and not only communicate, through the ship’s iPhone you can get this or that information, order a service, etc., but then they realized that many people might like the idea of tracking one person to others, and they turned out to be right, the new product quickly became very popular. It is not difficult to guess that parents have become the main consumers of identifiers. The liner is incredibly huge, there are a lot of places where a child can get lost, and this can become a problem not only for parents, but also for the entire crew. Searching for a lost person on a ship is a multi-hour and extremely difficult operation, a general emergency on the ship, and preferably at this time all other passengers should be forced into cabins or public areas.
At first, Oasis of the Seas offered badges as an identifier, but then they went further and now offer bracelets, which are much more convenient, since they can serve as a kind of pagers. If you send a signal from the iPhone, the bracelet begins to vibrate, and its owner will understand that they are looking for him. If this is a child, then fine, but teenagers are unlikely to like this kind of IT surveillance. The young man met a girl at a disco and retired with her to a darker and more secluded place, fortunately there are plenty of such places on a giant liner, and the damned bracelets suddenly begin to vibrate, what’s it like? But what a blessing to parents...
The device operates on the basis of the RTLS real-time location system from Ekahau, the signal from the identifier is processed by the DeFi Royal Connect program and sent to the final server, and from there it goes to the iPhone, the location accuracy is 3-3.5 meters. The bracelets are powered by rechargeable batteries; there is more than enough charge for a week-long cruise. After the end of the cruise, the bracelets are returned to the administration and charged again. The reviews, they say at Royal Carribean, are very good so far, but they don’t yet know how and where this new product can be used, in addition to surveillance, they are collecting data. During cruises, users of the electronic spy are interviewed, and it is hoped that the information collected will expand the scope of application of Wi-Fi RFID identifiers.
Voitenko Mikhail
Some numbers:
5000 kilometers of electrical wiring
12,000 plants, including real trees, but the plants will be installed and planted later, upon arrival of the liner in the USA
7,000 works of art will decorate the ship's premises or be displayed in the halls of 90,000 square meters of carpeting
The construction of the liner took 525,000 square meters of steel - an area equivalent to 72 football fields
Did you know that...
The screws for this giant will be manufactured by a Russian plant - JSC Baltic Plant
JSC Baltiysky Zavod has completed production of the first propeller designed for the world's largest ocean cruise liner, Genesis. The 360-meter-long vessel is being built by the Norwegian company Aker Yards at its shipyard in Finland. The Baltic Shipyard will equip the aircraft with two propellers. The diameter of each product is more than 6 meters.
Contracts for the manufacture of propellers for the cruise ships Genesis, Super Star Libra, Celebrity and Hall, which are being built at the Finnish shipyard, were concluded by JSC Baltic Plant (St. Petersburg) and FSUE Zvezdochka (Severodvinsk) in 2007. According to the terms of the agreements, the St. Petersburg enterprise will supply the customer with several dozen sets of blades, hubs and fairings, as well as sets of spare parts for propellers, by the end of this year. The value of the contracts is more than 10 million euros.
The Baltic Plant is the only Russian manufacturer of large propellers (weighing up to 70 tons, diameter up to 8 m) made of bronze and brass. The company produces modern propellers for all types of warships and submarines; large-capacity tankers and bulk carriers; nuclear and diesel-electric icebreakers; container ships and passenger ships; small coastal, river and pleasure craft; fast ships and boats.
One evening, the captain of the liner gives dinner to his guests. Cruise vacationers love formal events. Each of them tries to bring home the memory of sea voyage For this purpose, several professional photographers work on board the ship. About 30,000 photos will be taken during the cruise.
The beauty of anyone cruise travel is that in the ports where the liner stops, a lot of new sensations await passengers.
On the ship, everything is done for the clients, but there are always passengers who behave badly and interfere with others. Such people are asked to leave the ship at the nearest port. But the worst thing is when a passenger dies on board. Then the whole team has to console his loved ones. The body is placed in its own morgue.
Crew members and service personnel lead a full life, but completely isolated from guests. They are not allowed to use the main passages on board the aircraft unless absolutely necessary. All personnel move along a hidden system of service corridors and staircases. To do this, in the center of this labyrinth there is a main passage that runs the entire length of the ship. It has the unofficial name E-95, and is used by crew members to get to their cabins, where they can take a break from guests. The laundry room on such a ship is one of the busiest of all types of ships. The workers of this plant work around the clock.
In nightclubs liner« Oasis of the Seas“The DJs do their job well. While they are warming up the audience, night falls on the ship and then most of the 750,000 lamps on the ship light up. Electricity on the cruise ship is generated by diesel generators custom-made by the company " Wartsilla».
The most secure room on a cruise ship is the engineering control room. From here they monitor the weather conditions, monitor the operation of the power plant and control all the ship’s systems. This is the center of power on a passenger ship, so entry is strictly prohibited.
On liner« Oasis of the Seas“4,500 km of electrical cable have been laid, so the main thing for the ship’s engineers is not bad weather, but fire. Such liner consumes on average up to 11,000 kg of fuel per hour. A sudden spark anywhere is much more dangerous than a hurricane. Operating costs are enormous - even a slight deviation from the course can add up to a considerable sum.
During bad weather and the inability to safely enter the port, the ship's captain may give orders not to enter the port, and the cruise director will immediately announce the changed plans to passengers. This adds more work to the entertainment service as everyone stays on board.
Cruise ship« Oasis of the Seas"became the world's first passenger ship to have seven independent thematic areas on board Central Park, Boardwalk, Royal Promenade, Pool and Sports Zone, Vitality Sea Spa and Fitness Center, Entertainment Place and Youth Zone, so no one here is discouraged.
Central Park is located in the open air at the center of the ship and forms a public space with sidewalks, flowers and trees. Its grounds are used for walking on fresh air, street performances and concerts. Above the park's surroundings, 334 cabins stretch five stories high, 254 of which have balconies that overlook the park. Central Park has a whole series boutiques, a garden, many gazebos, a sculpture park, cafes, restaurants and a wine bar.
Despite the size liner, some passengers suffer from seasickness. Although all the staff maintain a calm demeanor, some have to deal with a variety of problems on board, from natural disasters to crimes. The plainclothes security service takes on this matter. They have CCTV cameras and the ship's own law enforcement agencies at their disposal.
In case of evacuation to cruise ship provided modern system rescue boats, as well as inflatable life rafts, which are located at strategic points on the ship. Resolving safety and security issues, guest requirements. Even on such liners as " Oasis of the Seas“With a great organization, sometimes people can get lost. They are often late at ports, so the ship always reminds them that the ship is leaving exactly on schedule.
The ship has a huge selection of cabins, which include luxury rooms and family rooms. A new feature is 25 two-level rooms with balconies. Each of them covers an area of 1524 square meters. m and is designed for six people. The room has its own piano, bar, jacuzzi and library. Balcony area 78 sq. meters. All cabins are equipped with LCD TVs and bathrooms with multiple mirrors.
Length - 361 m;
Width - 66 m;
Height - 72 m;
Displacement - 225282 tons;
Power point- eight diesel engines " Wartsila» power 17500 hp each;
Propulsion system- three steering columns of the “Azipod” type with a power of 27,200 hp each;
Speed - 22.6 knots;
Number of decks - 16;
Number of passengers - 6360 people;
Number of cabins - 2704;
Crew - 2100 people;
Here we can see the construction process
Tanker Knock Nevis Length - 458 m.
First on the list and the largest ship in the world is the supertanker Knock Nevis. The length of this ship is 458 m, and the width is 68.86 m. The maximum speed is 13 knots. The ship's crew is 40 people. They built the largest ship in Japan, but it did not immediately shock us with its dimensions. Large sizes it received thanks to the new owner, who ordered its enlargement. After reconstruction, it weighed more than 825 thousand 614 tons and only then was it awarded the title of the largest ship that has ever sailed on water.
Container ship Emma Maersk Length - 396.8 m.
In second place was the Emma Marsk container ship, which is 396.8 meters long and just over 63 meters wide. The ship's carrying capacity is more than 123 thousand tons. Emma Marsk can transport more than 11,000 containers, and according to other data, more than 13,000. The owner of this giant turned out to be Arnold McKinney, who named it in honor of his wife Emma. Due to the size of this vessel, the Panama Canal remained closed to it.
Cruise ship Oasis of the seas Length - 360 m.
Third place goes to the cruise ship Oasis of the seas. It surpasses all existing cruise ships in size and technological innovations. The cost of the giant airliner currently amounts to over a billion dollars. Oasis of the seas weighs 220,000 tons, accommodates 6,360 passengers, and comfort and all amenities are provided to almost 3 thousand people from all over the world.
Liner Queen Mary 2 Length - 345 m.
In fourth place was the no less dimensional liner Queen Mary 2. Its length is 345 m, but this ship is considered one of the most powerful and most fast ships in the world - only Queen Mary 2 has a speed of 30 knots. It is 76 meters longer than the Titanic, and was named after the British Queen Elizabeth II. Queen Mary 2 is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the first liner to fly trip around the world in just 81 days.
Aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN-65) Length - 342.3 m.
Fifth place is taken by the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN-65). Its length is 342.3 m, which is the longest among all warships. It went down in history as the first aircraft carrier with a nuclear power plant. They planned to create a whole line of such ships, but the first ship turned out to be too expensive - $451 million, so they decided to stop its construction.
Length - 340 m.
The Disney Dream cruise ship took a respectable sixth place. Its length is 340 m and width is 38 m. allows you to comfortably accommodate 4 thousand passengers. The ship's displacement is 128 thousand tons. There are plenty of playgrounds, swimming pools and water slides on board. Such a ship cost its owners $900 million. Its service staff numbers more than 1,500 people. Every detail on the ship suggests its owner - "Disnay". This ship can be called a fairy tale for children.
Length - 339 m
In seventh place was the Freedom of the Seas, 339 m long. It differs from all other cruise ships in its spacious halls and huge rooms, which can comfortably accommodate hundreds of passengers. On board the ship there is even a skating rink, swimming pools, solariums and walls for those who like to climb mountain peaks. What makes Freedom of the Seas special is that it has huge flat screens, which not all movie theaters have. The presence of Wi-Fi makes it more modern among all other record-breaking ships.
Length - 338 m.
Eighth place is occupied by Splendida with a length of 338 m. This ship has more than once been called the “Titanic of the 21st century” - huge, modern and at the same time elegant, it has become the dream of any traveler. No one will get bored on the ship - a variety of exotic treatments, swimming pools, saunas, massages will make your vacation truly a heavenly pleasure. Splendida is considered the largest ship ever produced by European countries.
Length - 329 m.
In ninth place was the Norwegian Epic, whose length is 329 m. It is the largest and most expensive ship produced by Norwegian Cruise Line. This ship can accommodate more than 4,200 people. The ship's displacement is about 135 thousand tons. The peculiarity of the ship is single cabins and freedom of action for tourists.
Length - 315 m.
Last on the list of the largest ships is Celebrity Eclipse. The ship is 315 m long and is the third ship launched by Celebrity Cruises Ltd. The maximum speed that a German ship can reach is 24 knots. Built in 2010, it can accommodate over 2,850 passengers, providing excellent service and an unforgettable experience.
Giant ships (Oases of the seas)Video
Oceans and seas occupy most of the surface of our planet. To navigate them, humanity has been building various ships for many millennia, and some of them are truly gigantic in size. The largest ships in the world are usually cargo tankers or container ships. But among other types of ships in the world, there are those that deserve interest when it comes to the largest ship. Therefore, the following top 10 largest ships include ships that are relatively modest in size compared to tankers, but the largest in their class (military, passenger, sailing).
1. Prelude
Although this ship is not yet in operation, it already rightfully bears the title of the largest ship in the world. The dimensions of its hull, which was already launched in 2013, are amazing. The length of the vessel is 488 m and the width is 78 m. With such gigantic dimensions, the cargo ship has a displacement of 600,000 tons. This is not exactly a cargo ship, but the world's first floating platform designed for the extraction, liquefaction and subsequent transportation of natural gas. The giant is being built by order of Royal Dutch Shell by the South Korean corporation Samsung Heavy Industries.
Full completion of construction is planned for 2017. The floating leviathan, which produces and processes gas independently, cannot sail through the sea; tugs will be used for this. The platform's future operating location is Western Australia, 295 km east of the city of Broome. The cost of constructing the ship is $12 billion, and the estimated operational period is 25 years. The design of the vessel is designed to withstand the most powerful cyclones existing in nature; for this, it has three shunting engines with a power of 6700 hp. With. every. With their help, during storms the ship will turn to the required position. The capacity of the floating plant is 3,600,000 tons of liquefied gas per year.
2. Seawise Giant (Knock Nevis)
If the world's previous largest ship represents the future of shipbuilding, then this largest ship in history has already been taken out of service and cut up for scrap. A giant 458.5 m long and 69 m wide was built in 1976, its displacement was almost 565 thousand tons. Its colossal dimensions did not allow it to pass through the Panama and Suez Canals and even through the English Channel, because the tanker’s draft was under summer the load line was 24.6 m.
The maximum speed of the tanker due to its size was relatively small, 13 knots or 21.1 km/h, but even at the same time the stopping distance of the ship was 10.2 km, and the turning diameter of the vessel was 3.7 km. Initially, in 1976, the ship, built by the Japanese Sumitomo Heavy Industries (SHI), was named Oppama. Then its dimensions were more modest, length - 376.7 m, displacement - 418.6 thousand tons. Later, the new owner of the ship, the Orient Overseas Line company from Hong Kong, ordered the reconstruction of the ship, a cylindrical insert was added to it, and the ship acquired its final record sizes. In 1981, the ship was named Seawise Giant and began sailing the ocean under the Liberian flag transporting crude oil.
In 1986, during the Iran-Iraq conflict, the tanker ran aground due to damage from an anti-ship missile. After the war, she was bought and restored by the Norwegian Norman International, and the ship was renamed Happy Giant. Even before commissioning in 1991, she was again resold to the Norwegian shipping company Loki Stream AS, so when the ship left the Singapore shipyard, she received another new name, Jahre Viking. The tanker received its last name, Knock Nevis, in 2004 after its purchase by the Norwegian company First Olsen Tankers Pte. From this year it was anchored and ceased to be a transport vessel. The giant made its last voyage in 2009 to the shores of India, where it was disposed of in 2010. One of his 36-ton anchors can be seen today in the Hong Kong Maritime Museum.
It is currently the longest operational vessel in the world. This container ship is 397 m long and is one of 8 E-Class vessels built by the Moller-Maersk Group. The ship's displacement is 157 thousand tons, it was launched in 2006. Its main purpose is to transport goods between Southeast Asia and Northern Europe through the Suez and Gibraltar Canal.
The vessel is capable of transporting up to 11 thousand standard 20-foot containers (with cargo), its carrying capacity is 123 thousand tons. The power of its huge diesel plant is 109 thousand liters. s, and its mass is 2300 tons, thanks to it the ship can move across the ocean at a speed of 25.5 knots. On average, a large commercial vessel travels a distance of just over 300 thousand km per year.
Today, ships of this series are the largest ships in operation in terms of displacement, which is 441.6 thousand tons. They have a double hull, which is dictated by modern environmental requirements for ships transporting hazardous materials. environment liquid cargo. A total of 4 ships of this series were built, 2 of which, TI Europe and TI Oceania, sail on the ocean, and 2 were turned into floating platforms to support the operation of the field near Qatar. The length of the vessels is 380 m.
5. Vale ore carriers
These are the largest dry cargo ships in operation today. The displacement of the largest vessels in this series reaches 400 thousand tons, and the length is 362 m. All vessels of the Vale family are owned by the Brazilian mining corporation of the same name. They are mainly used to transport iron ore to the United States from Brazilian deposits.
Today, the fleet of super-ore carriers consists of 31 ships with a displacement of 380 to 400 thousand tons. The four largest vessels were recently chartered to China's largest dry cargo fleet operator COSCO for 25 years. The advantage of Vale ships is considered to be low diesel fuel consumption and low carbon dioxide emissions per ton of ore, when compared with conventional ore carriers with a displacement of up to 200 thousand tons.
This is the largest passenger ship, its length is 362 m, and its displacement is 19.8 thousand tons. It has a twin ship - the cruise ship Oasis in the Seas, which is 50 mm shorter. Allure of the Seas was launched as recently as 2008. The cruise ship has a crew of 2,100 people and a maximum passenger capacity of 6,400 people. On board the ship there is:
- a park with exotic trees and shrubs;
- various sports facilities (ice skating rink, golf course, basketball and volleyball courts, bowling alley, etc.);
- swimming pools with jacuzzi;
- shops, casinos and much more.
7. Aircraft carrier USS Enterprise
This is the largest warship in the world. The length of the aircraft carrier is 342 m and the width is 78.4 m. This is the first warship of this type with a nuclear power plant (8 reactors). Enterprise entered service in 1961. Initially, it was planned to build 5 ships of this type, but due to the enormous cost ($451 million) and a number of other reasons, the largest warships of this modification were decided not to be replicated. In 2012, the aircraft carrier completed its last 8-month sea cruise. The ship's crew was 3,000 people, the number of aviation personnel was 1,800 people, and the aircraft carrier could accommodate up to 90 airplanes and helicopters.
If we talk about huge military vessels, then Russia also has its own large aircraft carrier - this is the heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Kuznetsov. Its length is 306 m and its width is 72 meters. If we talk about the active fleet, then in its size it is currently second only to Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, their length is almost 333 m.
This is the most big steamer, which has ever been built. Its length was 211 m, and its displacement was 22.5 thousand tons. The ship was launched in 1857. From the very beginning of its operation, its bad reputation was firmly established; what other ship, except one haunted by misfortunes, could in just two years:
- cause the death of several dozen workers during launching;
- damaged due to a steam engine explosion during the first passage;
- run into a rock.
The ship's crew was 418 people, and its passenger capacity was 4,000 people. The steamship was propelled by two paddle wheels powered by a 3650 hp steam engine. With. and a 4-blade propeller powered by a 4000 hp steam engine. With. In addition, the ship could sail through the sea under sails attached to 6 masts.
9. Project 941 Akula submarines
These are the largest submarines of our time. The length of submarines of this series is almost 173 m, and the underwater displacement is 48 thousand tons. Their colossal dimensions, first of all, were determined by the dimensions of the main weapons - intercontinental solid fuel three-stage ballistic missiles.
The underwater vessel is driven by two pressurized water nuclear reactors with a capacity of 190 MW each (shaft power 2×50 thousand hp) and two steam turbine units. In addition, the ship has two backup DC electric motors and a thruster device consisting of two folding columns driven by electric motors. The submarine's crew is 160 people.
This five-masted barque, launched by the French in 1912, is the largest sailing ship in history, its length was 146.2 m, and its displacement was 10.7 thousand tons. The ship was used for transporting goods (wool, ore, coal) across to the whole world. In 1922, near New Caledonia, the ship hit a reef and was abandoned by its owners. In 1944, during the bombing, it was destroyed.
Any ship presented in our TOP 10 largest ships can be called a creation of engineering thought. Of course, gigantic dimensions are not the goal for which these ships were designed and built. The size of the ships is determined, first of all, by the tasks that huge ships had to solve or are solving.
Since ancient times, for a person the ability to swim like a fish was no less desirable than the ability to fly like a bird. What the body given by nature cannot do, the machines we built helped to accomplish. From the fragile boats of antiquity, humanity has grown to create huge cities on the water. The largest of them amaze even modern people accustomed to the achievements of progress with their combination of power and beauty.
The largest ships in the world: selection criteria
To name the biggest ship, there are at least two criteria: dimensions (length and width) and displacement (essentially the volume of the underwater part of the ship).
In addition, to determine the winner in individual categories, his ability to fulfill his main task is decisive. For a passenger ship, this is the number of passengers it can take on board and the number of cabins; for a dry cargo ship or tanker, this is the weight of the cargo being transported; for a container ship, this is the number of containers.
Sailboats and steamships
Before moving on to modern record holders, let's remember their predecessors, those who plowed the seas driven by the power of wind and steam.
The largest sailing ship ever launched is the French barque France II. The ship had a displacement of almost 11 tons and a length of 146 meters. For only ten years - from 1912 to 1922 - it carried out regular cargo transportation, until the sailing ship, which ran aground off the coast of New Caledonia, was abandoned by its owners. The ship was finally destroyed in 1944 during a bombing.
The greatest steamship in history is the Great Eastern, launched in 1857. Its length is 211 meters, and its displacement is 22.5 thousand tons. The ship was driven by two wheels and one propeller, but could also sail. The main purpose of the vessel is passenger transportation; the Great Eastern could take up to 4,000 people on board. Unfortunately, the age of coal and steam was not kind to such large-scale projects - the operation of Great Eastern turned out to be unprofitable and was discontinued for economic reasons.
Absolute record holder
For many years, the winner in the category “The largest ships in the world” was the tanker Knock Nevis. Built in 1976 in Japan, it has changed names many times and undergone major renovations. The champion acquired its final dimensions in 1981 (under the name Seawise Giant): 458.5 meters long, 68 meters wide with a displacement of 565 thousand tons.
A huge tanker is a piece of equipment that is not so easy to find a use for. Due to its size, the ship had low speed, a huge (more than 10 kilometers!) braking distance, could not pass through strategic shipping straits and could only moor in a few ports around the world.
You can see a photo of the largest ship on any website dedicated to the history of shipbuilding, but this giant has recently belonged to the past, just like sailing ships and steamships. In 2010, the ship, which had not been used for six years, was cut into scrap metal.
Hard-working giants
Like the Seawise Giant, the other largest ships are also cargo ships: tankers, bulk carriers, container ships.
The longest ship currently in use (397 meters) is the container ship Emma Maersk. According to various sources, its side can be lifted from 11 to 14 thousand standard containers. Since the designers were tasked with ensuring the passage of Emma Maersk through the Suez and Panama Canals, the width and draft of the ship were designed to be quite moderate. Therefore, the displacement of such a giant is “only” 157 thousand tons.
And the largest ships in the world in terms of displacement are four Hellespont supertankers. Although the length of each of them is 17 meters less than that of the leader among container ships, the displacement is one and a half times greater - 234 thousand tons.
The ore carriers of the Brazilian company Vale are not too inferior to them. The largest of them - Vale Sohar - has a displacement of about 200 thousand tons and a length of 360 meters. The maximum cargo that this giant is able to transport is 400 thousand tons.
Cruise beauties
Although passenger ships are not as large as cargo ships, they make an indelible impression. A cruise ship is not a means of transportation, but a luxury vacation destination. Large size The ship here serves not so much as an opportunity to accommodate as many passengers as possible on board, but rather to create all imaginable comfort that would satisfy the most demanding public.
The largest passenger ships are many times larger than the Titanic, which once seemed incredible. The pair of twin ships Allure of the Seas and Oasis in the Seas are unparalleled in size. 362 meters in length and 225 thousand tons of displacement - figures comparable to the largest cargo ships. Each of the liners can comfortably accommodate 6,400 passengers. In addition, 2,100 personnel serve on board (this is against several dozen sailors serving tankers and dry cargo ships).
Allure of the Seas or Oasis in the Seas offers shops, casinos, restaurants, bars, nightclubs, a fitness center, volleyball and basketball courts, a sauna and swimming pools. There is even a park with real trees and grass.
Storm of the seas
You cannot ignore the largest warships. These are now aircraft carriers. And this is understandable: no matter how hard aviation engineers work to reduce the take-off mileage of aircraft, the “winged sailors” still need a rather large path to take off from.
In the period before World War II, the most powerful maritime powers built especially large warships - battleships. The largest of them is the flagship of the Japanese fleet, Yamato. 263 meters long, 40 wide, with a crew of 2,500 sailors - the battleship seemed simply invulnerable. However, the ship, launched in 1940, was sunk shortly before Japan's surrender.
The development of anti-submarine weapons has made such ships too easy a target. The ships laid down in those years were still in service (for example, the American battleships of the Iowa project), but the main focus in the post-war period was on aircraft-carrying ships.
The largest naval ship of all time was the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise. Its length is 342 meters, width - 78 meters. The ship carried up to 90 aircraft (planes and helicopters), which served 1,800 people. The total crew size is 3,000 sailors. After serving for more than half a century, the Enterprise was retired from service with the United States Navy in 2012. Now its place has been taken by Nimitz-class aircraft carriers, slightly inferior in size to their predecessor - the length of the largest modern aircraft-carrying ships is 333 meters.
The largest ships in Russia
Although Russian-made ships do not occupy the top positions in the ratings of the largest ships in the world, some models have no equal in their categories.
Thus, the flagship of the Russian Northern Fleet, the nuclear-powered missile cruiser "Peter the Great" is the world's largest non-aircraft-carrying combat strike ship. Dimensions of the cruiser: 251 meters - length, 28 meters - width, displacement - 28 thousand tons. Main task: countering enemy aircraft carrier formations.
There is also another record holder in service in the Russian Navy - the Akula submarine (project 941). The length of the boat is 173 meters, the underwater displacement is 48 thousand tons, the crew is 160 people. Submarine equipped with a nuclear reactor and diesel power plants. The main weapons are intercontinental ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads.
Of the civil courts, mention must be made of the largest nuclear icebreaker"50 Years of Victory", rolled off the stocks in 1993. Perhaps, knowing what the largest ships in the world are, its 160 meters in length will seem frivolous, but still in its class this ship has no equal.
Giant at the shipyard
In addition to the ships themselves, modern shipbuilders are busy developing other sea giants - floating platforms. The amazingly sized structures can be used for a variety of purposes, from mining to launching spacecraft.
Right now, at the shipyards of South Korean Samsung Heavy Industries, the Prelude floating platform is being completed, which the customer, Royal Dutch Shell, plans to use for the production, liquefaction and transportation of natural gas. In 2013, the Prelude hull was launched. Its dimensions are more impressive than the largest ships in the world can boast. A photo of the unfinished giant became available to everyone interested.
The length of the vessel is 488 meters, width - 78 meters, displacement - 600 thousand tons. It is assumed that the platform will be moved using tugs. Only the lack of its own chassis does not allow us to call the Prelude a champion among giant ships. A platform is still not a ship.