The biggest ships in the world

Since ancient times, floating structures have been created by man for various purposes: fishing, travel, transportation of goods, military. These are yachts, ships, tankers, rafts and barges. The most recognizable ship is the giant Titanic, which sank on its first voyage. It was 269.1 meters long.

Некоторые суда имеют огромные размеры, которые позволяют решать сложные задачи. Рассмотрим рейтинг самых больших кораблей в мире на 2024 год, условно разделив их на пассажирские, военные, сухогрузы и танкеры. Это позволит оценить масштабы морских судов, созданных руками человека.

Passenger ships

The popularity of cruise travel is still high today, in the days of the dominance of air transport. A passenger ship is a large vessel where the passenger can experience comfort. A modern cruise ship is both a high-class hotel, restaurant, place to relax and a means of transportation. Consider the largest passenger ships in the world.

Symphony of the Seas

The largest ship in the world by volume of cargo taken on board, with a maximum tonnage of 228081 register tons. However, the ship is inferior in length to another representative of the same class, Oasis. The operator, Royal Caribbean International, is registered in the Caribbean Islands.

The size of the ship: 361*47.5*72.5 m. Commissioned in 2018, she cruises in the Caribbean.

Harmony of the Seas

The Symphony of the Seas exceeds it only in length (362 meters) but inferior in other respects. Until 2018, it was considered the largest passenger ship in the world. It belongs to the Oasis class, taking on more than 6,000 passengers. It has dozens of types of cabins from spacious rooms to suites with several rooms on two levels.

The ship operated in the Mediterranean Sea during the summer season, then moved to the Caribbean Sea, where passengers are offered 3 and 7-day cruises.

Oasis of the Seas

The first Oasis-class cruise ship launched in 2008, Oasis of the Seas has the following features:

• size: 360*60,5*72 m;
• displacement: 225282 bt;
• speed: 22.6 knots;
• passenger capacity: 6880 people.

Built in Turku, Finland, it is equipped with three diesel engines. Others of the same type were built on the basis of this ship. On board there is everything for a long cruise: a water amphitheater with fountains, a park with plants and bushes, children's garden, night club, amusement park, ice rink.

Notably, the second vessel in the class, Allure of the Seas, is 5 centimeters longer than Oasis and is also luxurious.

Warships

The largest military fleet in the world has the U.S. Only aircraft carriers have been built 13 pieces, today they operate in different parts of the world. Consider the photo of the largest warships in the world.

USS Enterprise

Enterprise belongs to the U.S. Navy, an aircraft carrier built in 1960, has a nuclear propulsion system. Took part in the blockade of Cuba during the Cuban crisis. The ship is 342 meters long, the aircraft carrier crew is 3,000 people, including officers, in addition there is an air team of 1800 people.

The company was on active duty in the Mediterranean Sea area and has been decommissioned since 2017.

USS John F Kennedy

One of the "Kitty Hawk" series aircraft carriers, developed in 1960 and implemented as 4 projects. Named after the 35th President of the United States.

The ship was 320.6 m long and sailed by 8 boilers with 280,000 horsepower and a crew of 5,000. It was stationed at the Mayport base and was on active duty mainly in the Mediterranean Sea. After more than 40 years of service, it was decommissioned from the fleet in 2007.

USS Forrestal

In the design of this type of ship the experience of combat operations during World War II was taken into account. In 1954 it was launched. Today there are photos and video recordings of it, the aircraft carrier itself is scrapped.

It had a displacement of 81101 tons with a full load and was 325 meters long and 72.5 meters wide. It had a speed of 33 knots, which is equivalent to 61 kilometers per hour. 552 officers and 4980 sailors were on daily battle-watch.

Known for numerous fires, for which it was nicknamed the "Forest Fire." Before it was scrapped, the American company All Star Metals bought Forrestal for 1 cent.

USS Nimitz

It was commissioned in 1975 and is still on active duty at Kitsap base in the Pacific Ocean.

The size of the ship: 332.8*76.8 m. Equipped with two Westinghouse nuclear reactors, the machine has 200,000 hp. It has no range limitations. The crew consists of:

• aircraft carrier crew - 3,200 people;
• aviation group - 2,480 people.

The Nimitz has 90 aircraft and helicopters on board and is armed with an electronic warfare system and anti-torpedo defense system.

USS Gerald R. Ford

A U.S. Navy aircraft carrier that replaced the Nimitz-class ships. Named after the nation's 38th president. Launched in 2013. Size: 337*78*76 meters.

The ship's engines are 2 powerful Bechtel nuclear reactors. The crew is 4,660. The number of employees was intentionally reduced in order to reduce maintenance costs. The aviation group will consist of 90 aircraft and helicopters as standard, but at present the aircraft carrier is not manned. It is equipped with an electromagnetic catapult, which allows smooth acceleration of aircraft.

Replaced the ship Enterprise (CVN 65), which was retired from the fleet. Donald Trump called the Gerald R. Ford a 100,000-ton message to the world.

Tankers

Oil and gas equipment meets modern quality standards. Transportation of hydrocarbons is a complicated business, involving tankers of large size, reliable and powerful.

Supertanker Knock Nevis

For a long time the Norwegian supertanker Knock Nevis was considered the largest vessel in the world, with a length of 458.45 meters and a record displacement of 657018 tons. In 2010 it was decommissioned from the fleet.

When fully loaded, the tanker had a large draft, which prevented it from crossing the English Channel in some places and the Suez Canal. The supertanker never managed to cross the Panama Canal, because it did not fit the dimensions.

TI class supertankers

Ocean tankers of the TI type are represented by four large ships:

• Oceania;
• Europa;
• Africa;

Two of them, TI Oceania (owned by Oceania Tanker Corp), TI Europa (owned by Euronan NV), after the disposal of Knock Nevis hold the leading position in the top "World's Largest Ship". The Europa tanker is moored in a port in Malaysia and is used as an oil storage facility.

The ocean-going supertankers in this series automatically keep the oil in storage at a low temperature, which meets safety standards. None of the ships listed will be able to cross the Panama Canal due to their size.

Esso Atlantic

This class of oil tankers includes five giant ships, the first of which was launched in 1977. It sailed under the flag of Liberia until 1990, when it was decommissioned.

The ship was 390 meters long and belonged to a company registered in the Bahamas. It was scrapped in Pakistan.

Gas tankers

Natural gas is transported by pipelines that are laid underground and under water. However, a number of countries are forced to transport liquefied fuel. For this purpose, LNG carriers capable of crossing the ocean are being built.

Q-Max

The largest LNG tankers belong to Q-Max class and are equipped with membrane tanks. Ships' dimensions are: 345*55 meters. The height of the board - 27 meters, the draft - 12 meters.

The dimensions of the Suez Canal locks were taken into account in the design, but no tanker will be able to pass through the Panama Gate. The crew consists of 35 people, including officers. The storage system allows the feedstock to be re-liquefied and the evaporating parts to be returned back to the tank.

Mozah

The Mozah LNG tanker is named after one of the wives of an emir of Qatar and sails under the flag of the Marshall Islands. The ship was built in 2008 and is equipped with a re-liquefaction system to avoid losses during transportation.

With a hull length of 345.33 meters, it is currently owned by a company from Qatar and is the largest gas tanker in the world.

Dry cargo ships

Dry cargo carriers are designed to carry loose and other dry cargoes: timber, fertilizers, other goods. They are used both on rivers and on the oceans.

Vale Sohar

The largest ship used to transport ore belongs to the Brazilian mining company Vale. It flies the flag of the Marshall Islands and has a hull length of 360 meters. In 2012 it was used by the Panama Company, then the ship was known as Rong Sheng 91.

Blue Marlin

The oversized ship was designed to transport drilling rigs. The vessel is equipped with staterooms to accommodate 60 people. Norwegian companies participated in the laying, after which the heavy Blue Marlin was bought out by the Dutch.

The ship has been involved in the transport of U.S. Navy ships, radars and other armaments on many occasions. 56,000 tons deadweight (all cargoes, including fuel).

Sailing boats

Before the invention of the engine, people moved along rivers and seas on rafts and sailing ships. History remembers the legendary battles using such a fleet. Modern vessels use sails rarely and only to save fuel, because you can move using only the wind.

The classic ship has four parts:

1. Corps;
2. a system of masts (spars);
3. rigging holding up the masts;
4. sails.

Let's talk about the two largest modern sailing ships. They are used either for sport or for training.

Club Med 2

A fully operational, five-masted, computer-controlled ship, 187 meters long, used in summer for Mediterranean cruises and in winter for Caribbean cruises, commissioned by France in 1992 to satisfy the desire of passengers wishing to cruise as our ancestors did 2-3 centuries ago, capable of anchoring near scenic areas.

It takes up to 386 passengers on board. Vacationers can play bridge, take in ballroom dancing, and experience a special atmosphere.

France II

At the time of its laying, in 1911, the five-masted barque France II was considered an outstanding invention of mankind. Built by the Chantiers et Ateliers de la Gironde as a commercial merchant ship, it was intended for the nickel trade. At the time, the ship was the most heavily loaded of all sailing ships on earth.

The ship's end was sad: it ran aground and was abandoned. During World War II, the Americans bombed the remains with precision. In 2017, Star Clippers decided to build a new sailboat based on the France II.

Landing craft

Landing craft are designed for landing marines. Not used in most armies of the world.

USS America

This type of landing craft is 257 meters long, equipped with radio-electronic equipment, anti-aircraft weapons. It replaced the obsolete Woosp class and is capable of covering 9,500 nautical miles.

Container ship

Container transportation is one of the most common types of delivery. Huge ships capable of taking dozens of tons of cargo on board are used for this purpose.

CSCL Globe

One of the largest container ships on the planet, owned by a company from Hong Kong, the ship is 400 meters long and runs on diesel engines.

The largest tanker in Russia

Russia is one of the largest suppliers of hydrocarbons in Asia and Europe. The country's fleet is equipped with cargo transport ships, including tankers.

Project RSD44 "Volgo-Don Max"

The project combined the construction of 10 multifunctional ships. The laying took place in 2010-2011 at the Oka Shipyard. 140 meters long, 5,716 tons deadweight. It is the largest ship in Russia, used not at sea, but on rivers.

Steamboat

Steamships were equipped with a piston steam engine. Today they have become part of history and are no longer produced.

Great Eastern

Until the beginning of the 20th century, the British Leviathan or Great Eastern was called the largest ship at sea. It was designed for long voyages to India and Africa. It was 211 meters long and had 8,000 hp.

Conclusions

1. The largest passenger ship is Harmony of the Seas, and there is a ship in the same class that surpasses Harmony in cargo capacity.
2. The largest warship is the USS Enterprise.
3. With a length of 458 meters, the oil tanker Knock Nevis is considered the largest in the world.
4. Modern gas tankers are superior to the Qatari LNG Mozah.
5. The Vale Sohar, known for its size, voyages from Brazil to the United States.
6. The largest active sailing vessel is the Club Med 2.
7. The largest landing craft are in the USS America class.
8. Chinese container ships are known all over the planet for their size and carrying capacity.
9. The largest Russian river tankers are referred to the RSD44 project.
10. The steamer with the longest hull length was the British Great Eastern.