The world of shipping is constantly evolving and expanding, with new and bigger vessels being built to meet the growing demand for global trade and transportation.
Among these giants of the sea, one stands out as the undisputed champion: the Pioneering Spirit, the largest ship in the world by gross tonnage.
This crane vessel, also known as the Pieter Schelte, is a marvel of engineering and design, capable of lifting and moving massive offshore structures with ease.
In this article, we will explore the features, history, and achievements of this amazing ship, as well as some other notable contenders for the title of the largest ship in the world.
What is the Pioneering Spirit?
The Pioneering Spirit is a crane vessel that specializes in installing and removing offshore oil and gas platforms.
The Pioneering Spirit is not only the largest ship in the world by gross tonnage, but also by length and width.
It has a draft of 10 to 15 meters (33 to 49 feet), depending on its load.
It has a gross tonnage of 403,342 tons, which is more than four times that of the Titanic.
The Pioneering Spirit has two main features that make it unique and impressive: its twin-hull design and its lifting system.
The twin-hull design allows the ship to straddle an offshore platform and lift it from its base using hydraulic jacks.
The lifting system consists of two sets of beams that can move along the length of the ship.
Each set has eight lifting beams that can lift up to 48,000 tons each.
The Pioneering Spirit also has other features that make it versatile and efficient.
has a dynamic positioning system that allows it to maintain its position and orientation without anchors or tugs.
It has a crew of about 400 people, who live and work in comfortable and spacious cabins.
It has a helipad, a hospital, a cinema, a gym, and other amenities for the crew.
What are some of the achievements of the Pioneering Spirit?
The Pioneering Spirit has been involved in several challenging and remarkable projects since its inception. Some of these include:
- In 2017, it removed the Brent Delta topside from the North Sea, which weighed 24,200 tons and was the heaviest structure ever lifted by a single vessel.
- In 2018, it installed the TurkStream pipeline in the Black Sea, which consisted of two parallel lines that stretched for 930 kilometers (578 miles) each.
- In 2019, it removed four platforms from the Ekofisk field in the North Sea, which were among the oldest in operation.
- In 2020, it completed the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in the Baltic Sea, which also consisted of two parallel lines that stretched for 1,230 kilometers (764 miles) each.
- In 2021, it removed the Ninian Northern topside from the North Sea, which weighed 14,200 tons and was lifted in only nine seconds.
What are some other large ships in the world?
While the Pioneering Spirit is undoubtedly the largest ship in the world by gross tonnage, there are other ships that are larger by other criteria, such as length or cargo capacity.
Here are some examples:
- The Seawise Giant was a supertanker that was once considered the longest ship ever built. It measured 458.45 meters (1,504 feet) long and had a deadweight tonnage of 564,763 tons. It was built in 1979 by Sumitomo Heavy Industries in Japan, and operated under various names until it was scrapped in 2010.
- The CMA CGM Jacques Saadé is a container ship that is currently the largest in the world by cargo capacity. It can carry up to 23,964 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) of cargo. It was built in 2020 by Shanghai Jiangnan Changxing Shipbuilding in China, and is operated by CMA CGM, a French shipping company. It is also the first container ship to run on liquefied natural gas (LNG), which reduces its carbon emissions by 20%.
- The Symphony of the Seas is a cruise ship that is currently the largest in the world by passenger capacity. It can accommodate up to 6,680 passengers and 2,200 crew members. It was built in 2018 by STX France in Saint-Nazaire, France, and is operated by Royal Caribbean International. It has 18 decks and features various attractions, such as a water park, a zip line, a theater, and a casino.
Conclusion
The Pioneering Spirit is the largest ship in the world by gross tonnage and a marvel of engineering and design.
It is a crane vessel that specializes in installing and removing offshore oil and gas platforms, using its twin-hull design and lifting system. It has been involved in several challenging and remarkable projects around the world, demonstrating its versatility and efficiency.
The ship is also one of the many examples of how shipping is constantly evolving and expanding, with new and bigger vessels being built to meet the growing demand for global trade and transportation.
