A Comprehensive List of Biggest Ships in the World

By Brittany Sample Last updated Sep 2, 2022

Oil tankers, cargo ships, and cruise liners are some of the biggest ships in the world. These enormous vehicles are engineering marvels that transport a significant portion of people and products around the globe.

Ships come in a variety of sizes that are appropriate for various uses. Some naval ships need powerful diesel engines to haul containers over great distances, while others use nuclear propulsion systems to stay at sea for extended periods of time.

A Comprehensive List of Biggest Ships in the World

Knock Nevis

The oil tanker called as the Knock Nevis was one of the biggest and strongest ships ever constructed. The ULCC supertanker The Knock Nevis, or Mont as it was formerly known, was eventually decommissioned in 2009.

The Knock Nevis was the world’s biggest moving man-made object. The ship was longer from stern to bow than the Empire State Building was tall. The ship’s length was 1,504 feet (458.45 metres), and its incredible gross tonnage was 260,941 GT (214,793 NT).

The initial version of Knock Nevis was constructed in 1979 by Japan’s Sumitomo Heavy Industries. During the Iran-Iraq War in 1988, the ship suffered heavy damage and sank in the Strait of Hormuz.

Later, in 1991, the Norwegian Jorgen Jahre purchased her and renamed her Jahre Viking, a title she held for 13 years. She was eventually bought by First Olsen Tankers, who gave her the new name of Knock Nevis.

The 35-crew ship was propelled by a single propeller that was 30 ft (9 mt) in diameter and had a cruising speed of 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph). The Nevis had a turning radius of 3 km (about 2 miles), and it took around 5.5 miles (9 km) to slow down from cruising speed to stand still.

TI Class supertankers

The TI Class supertankers are among the biggest oil tankers that are still in service. The TI Africa, TI Asia, TI Europe, and TI Oceania are the ships that make up the fleet of Tankers International L.L.C.

These massive tankers were built in 2003 for the company Hellespont by Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering in Okpo, South Korea.

At “just” 380 m (1,247 ft), the TI range is 78 m (256 ft) shorter than the previously stated Knock Nevis. Full loaded, the TI range can cruise at 16.5 knots (30.5 km/h; 18.9 mph) and has a tonnage of 234,006 GT (162,477 NT).

Q-Max ships

The Q-Max ships are the biggest membrane-type liquefied natural gas carriers in the world. They are 1,132 feet (345 metres) in length and have a gross tonnage of 162,400 GT. The Q-max ships cruise at 19.5 knots (36.114 km/h; 22.4 mph) and have a capacity of 9,393,701 cubic feet (266,000 cubic metres).

Samsung Heavy Industries, Hyundai Heavy Industries, and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering all contributed to the construction of the ships.

CSCL Globe

The naming ceremony for the CSCL Globe, the largest container ship in the world at the time, took place in November 2014. China Shipping Container Lines (CSCL) ordered five 19,000 TEU container ships in 2013, the first of which was the CSCL Globe.

Hyundai Heavy Industries sold CSCL Globe, which was acquired with plans to use it on the Asia-Europe trade loop. The mega-ship is 400 metres (1,312 feet) in length and weighs 187,500 GT.

The 77,200 BHP main engine powering the CSCL Globe is electronically regulated, and its performance is claimed to be superior to that of rival 10,000 TEU container ships.

As a result of feedback from sea conditions, the engine uses 20% less fuel per TEU. In 2011, Maersk awarded the Daewoo Shipbuilding Company two contracts totaling US$200 million for each of 20 Maersk Triple E Class container ships.

Oasis of the Seas

The greatest commercial ships or cruise ships in operation are the Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas, and Harmony of the Seas, formerly known as “Project Genesis.” They were constructed for the Royal Caribbean firm and shipped out in 2009, 2010, and 2016 consecutively.

In March 2018, Symphony of the Seas, a fourth ship, was finished. Wonder of the Seas, the fifth ship in the Oasis-class, was under construction as of April 2019, and a sixth, unidentified ship had also been ordered.

In addition to its 2,394 crew members and a maximum capacity of 6,296 guests, the cruise ships are 1,181 feet (360 metres) long. At 22.6 knots, these vessels are the swiftest in our major league.

For seven nights, the Oasis of the Seas and the Allure of the Seas provide Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises, and travelling on one of these enormous ships is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience. No wonder it’s so well-liked!

The RMS Queen Mary 2

The RMS Queen Mary 2 is now the greatest transatlantic ocean liner in the world. This magnificent ship, which replaces RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 (QE2), is the first significant ocean liner to be constructed since 1969.

She made her first voyage in 2004 and even completed a remarkable eastbound transatlantic cruise alongside the soon-to-be-retired QE2. Queen Elizabeth II named her in 2004 after the first Queen Mary. The only transatlantic ocean liner currently in operation between Southampton and New York is the RMS Queen Mary 2.

However, the vessel also serves as a commercial cruise liner for an annual globe trip. The RMS Queen Mary 2 weighs 148,528 GT and measures 1,132 feet (345 metres) from stern to bow. At a speed of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph), she can carry 1,253 crew members and 2,620 passengers.