7 unusual modern ships that will surprise you
Miscellaneous / / April 05, 2023
We talk about ships of incredible sizes and strange shapes. And also about ships performing atypical tasks.
1. RV FLIP
This research ship, 108 meters long, was launched in 1962. He has an unusual trick in his arsenal. RV FLIP is able to roll over 90°: the bow of the vessel rises into the air, and the tail section is submerged under water. Only 17 meters of the ship remain visible. In this position, it resembles a huge float or a strangely shaped lighthouse.
The second part of its name - FLIP - speaks directly about the features of the vessel. And it can be interpreted in two ways. Firstly, it is an abbreviation that stands for "floating instrument platform" (floating instrument platform). Secondly, from English "FLIP" is translated as somersault.
Acrobatic numbers RV FLIP performs not for fun. His apply to study the ocean, including thermal structure, seismic wave amplitude and whale diving depth. Ballast tanks in the submerged part, which are filled with water, help to maintain balance in the vertical position of the platform. Also, RV FLIP does not have an engine - vibrations from it could affect stability, so a tug delivers the ship to the right place.
2. Ramform Hyperion
Ramform Hyperion was first launched in 2017. A strongly elongated bow and a wide stern make it look like an iron, but in reality this funny ship - a whole floating laboratory, which is used to search for oil and gas deposits. Finding minerals helps him a network of sensors, which are attached to the back of the vessel: Ramform Hyperion tows it, slowly moving through the water. The sensors are capable of simultaneously examining up to 12 square kilometers of the surface.
Research accuracy is provided by the main feature of Ramform Hyperion - incredible stability. The ship moves through the water slowly and almost silently. The team working on the ship also benefits: the platform almost does not sway, and there is no need to think about maintaining balance on the waves.
The appearance of useful ships that speed up work and reduce environmental damage is the merit of a number of specialists: from design engineers and technologists to structural assemblers and ship welders. Mastering these professions in order to also participate in the creation of innovative projects is really possible at shipbuilding faculties. And not just in theory.
Students of the Khabarovsk College of Water Transport and Industry, for example, can attend Khabarovsk shipyard and watch the work of specialists in real life. In the fall of 2022, the company opened its personnel resource center specifically for students in targeted areas. Under the guidance of mentors, students will learn how workshops are organized and what are the features of different processes. After training, students will be able to come to the factory and quickly join the work.
3. Bottsand and Eversand
These two German ships are designed to collect oil spilled into the sea. Bottsand was built in 1984 and Eversand - in 1988. Ships work like this: polluted water is collected in a ship's tank, cistern, then it is filtered, and after it is already clean, it returns to the sea or ocean. Their unusual design helps the ships to cope with this task quickly. The nose of the Bottsand and Eversand can diverge like scissors: its halves move apart by 65 °. As a result, the area of the cleaned surface becomes larger - as much as 40 square meters at a time. Within an hour, these ships are able to clear up to 140 cubic meters of water from oil.
4. City of St. Petersburg
Despite its name, this large ro-ro ship (a ship for the transport of goods on a wheelbase) was created not in Russia, but in Japan. It probably got its name because of its purpose: a ship developed for the transportation of Nissan vehicles from factories in the UK and Spain to the ports of Northern Europe. The ship can simultaneously carry more than 2,000 vehicles.
From other similar ships City of St. Petersburg is distinguished by a rounded nose, which makes it resemble an airship. It was decided to make the ship like this in order to reduce harm to the environment: the shape of a hemisphere reduces air resistance and, accordingly, reduces fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.
5. "Goto Predestination"
"Goto Predestination" ("God's foresight") is the first battleship in the Russian fleet. It was designed by Peter I and launched in Voronezh in 1700. There were 58 guns and 6 anchors on board, the keel of two beams and a curved velvet, a reinforced row of wooden plating, gave the ship special strength.
The original "Goto Predestination" ceased to exist in 1718: it was considered unusable and sold for parts. But you can still see it today - thanks to a historically accurate copy, which was recreated in the homeland of the ship, in Voronezh. Vessel reconstruction started in 2009 and lasted almost five years - it was launched on July 27, 2014. A museum was opened there. Its visitors can view the ship from the outside, go up on deck and look into the interior to see how the sailors and officers lived on the ship.
6. BOKA Vanguard
The dimensions of this cargo ship are 275 meters long and 70 meters wide. It is the largest in its class. It was created to transport offshore oil platforms and other large structures. BOKA Vanguard withstands up to 110,000 tons. Technical rooms and rooms for crew members are located in superstructures at the edges of the ship, and the deck remains completely empty and flat - its entire area can be used for loading.
In addition, this is a semi-submersible vessel: it can submerge slightly under water to pick up large floating cargo. The deck is reliably protected from water penetration, so such maneuvers are safe. The absence of sides allows BOKA Vanguard to take on loads that exceed its dimensions. For example, in 2019 he drove to repair the liner Carnival Vista with a length of 325 meters.
7. Wonder of the Seas
Wonder of the Seas is a cruise ship that was launched in early 2022. The length of this ship is 362 meters, the height is 18 decks, and the gross tonnage (internal volume) is 236,857 registered tons. This does its largest cruise ship in the world. Up to 6,988 vacationers and 2,300 employees can travel on the ship at the same time. On board there is a water park, a mini-golf course, 20 restaurants, 4 swimming pools, a surf simulator, an ice rink, a zipline, a theater and much more - it turns out a full-fledged mobile city on the water.
But Wonder of the Seas' biggest liner won't last long. He has a chance to lose his status already in 2024, because they plan to withdraw an even larger ship is the Icon of the Seas. It will exceed its predecessor by two decks in height and three meters in length. As many as 7,600 tourists will be able to relax on this at the same time. By the way, both ships belong to the same company - Royal Caribbean.