When it comes to Biggest ships, size matters.
The bigger the ship, the more cargo it can carry, the more people it can transport, or the more impressive it can be.
But what is the biggest ship in the world? How big is it, and what does it do?
In this article, we will answer these questions and more, as we explore the amazing vessel that holds the title of the biggest ship in the world: Pioneering Spirit.
What is Pioneering Spirit?
Pioneering Spirit is a crane vessel that was built by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering in South Korea for Allseas, a Swiss-based offshore contractor.
A crane vessel is a ship that has a large crane on board, which can be used for lifting heavy objects or installing offshore structures.
Pioneering Spirit is not only the biggest ship in the world by gross tonnage, but also the largest crane vessel ever built.
How big is Pioneering Spirit?
It has a gross tonnage of 403,342, which means that it has a huge internal volume.
To put this into perspective, Pioneering Spirit is longer than four football fields, wider than two Boeing 747s, and heavier than 2,000 blue whales.
It can accommodate up to 571 people on board.
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What does Pioneering Spirit do?
Pioneering Spirit is designed to perform various offshore operations, such as installing or removing oil and gas platforms, laying pipelines, or lifting sunken ships.
It has two cranes that can lift up to 48,000 tons each, which is equivalent to six Eiffel Towers.
It also has a slot at its bow that can fit an entire platform topside, which is the part of the platform that contains the equipment and facilities.
Pioneering Spirit can lift and transport topsides weighing up to 48,000 tons in a single piece.
Some of the notable projects that Pioneering Spirit has completed or is involved in are:
- Lifting and removing the Yme platform in the North Sea in 2016, which was the first time a platform was removed in one piece.
- Installing the TurkStream pipeline in the Black Sea in 2018 and 2019, which connects Russia and Turkey with natural gas.
- Lifting and removing the Brent Delta platform in the North Sea in 2017, which was the heaviest platform ever lifted by a single.
- Lifting and removing the Ninian Northern platform in the North Sea in 2020, which was another record-breaking operation.
- Installing the Johan Sverdrup pipeline in the North Sea in 2019 and 2020, which connects Norway’s largest oil field with an onshore terminal.
Conclusion
Pioneering Spirit is an impressive ship that holds the title of the biggest ship in the world by gross tonnage.
It is a crane vessel that can perform various offshore operations, such as installing or removing oil and gas platforms, laying pipelines, or lifting sunken ships.
It has two cranes that can lift up to 48,000 tons each, and a slot at its bow that can fit an entire platform topside.
Pioneering Spirit is a marvel of engineering and a testament to human ingenuity.
