Ships have always been an important part of human civilization, serving as a means of transportation for both goods and people across vast distances. Over the years, ships have become increasingly larger and more sophisticated, with some reaching truly staggering sizes. In this article, we will explore the world’s largest ships and the incredible feats of engineering that make them possible.
Prelude FLNG
The Prelude FLNG is the largest ship in the world, measuring 1,601 feet (488 meters) in length and 243 feet (74 meters) in width. It is also the first floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) platform ever built, capable of producing 3.6 million tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) per year. Owned by Royal Dutch Shell, the Prelude FLNG is currently stationed off the coast of Western Australia.
Pioneering Spirit
The Pioneering Spirit is the second-largest ship in the world, measuring 1,253 feet (382 meters) in length and 407 feet (124 meters) in width. It is a massive offshore construction vessel that was specifically designed to remove decommissioned oil and gas platforms from the North Sea. The Pioneering Spirit is owned by Allseas, a Swiss offshore engineering company.
Seawise Giant
The Seawise Giant, formerly known as the Jahre Viking, was once the largest ship in the world. It measured 1,504 feet (458.45 meters) in length and 226 feet (68.9 meters) in width. Built in 1979, the Seawise Giant was an ultra-large crude carrier (ULCC) that could carry up to 564,763 tons of oil. Unfortunately, the ship was destroyed during the Iran-Iraq War in 1988.
Emma Maersk
The Emma Maersk is one of the largest container ships in the world, measuring 1,302 feet (397 meters) in length and 184 feet (56 meters) in width. Owned by the Danish shipping company Maersk Line, the Emma Maersk is capable of carrying up to 15,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of cargo. It is powered by a massive Wartsila-Sulzer diesel engine that can produce up to 109,000 horsepower.
Knock Nevis
The Knock Nevis, formerly known as the Seawise Giant, was another ULCC that was once the largest ship in the world. It measured 1,504 feet (458.45 meters) in length and 226 feet (68.9 meters) in width, just like its sister ship. However, it had a slightly larger deadweight tonnage (DWT) of 647,955 tons. The Knock Nevis was also destroyed, this time by being scrapped in 2010.
Oasis of the Seas
The Oasis of the Seas is one of the largest cruise ships in the world, measuring 1,187 feet (362 meters) in length and 215 feet (66 meters) in width. It is owned by Royal Caribbean International and can accommodate up to 6,780 passengers and 2,165 crew members. The Oasis of the Seas has a total of 2,706 staterooms and features seven distinct neighborhoods.
Prelude FLNG
The Knock Nevis, formerly known as the Seawise Giant, was another ULCC that was once the largest ship in the world. It measured 1,504 feet (458.45 meters) in length and 226 feet (68.9 meters) in width, just like its sister ship. However, it had a slightly larger deadweight tonnage (DWT) of 647,955 tons.