Largest ship (gross tonnage)

A ship of superlatives, the 403,342-gross-tonnage construction ship Pioneering Spirit is currently the world’s largest ship, as well as the largest catamaran, construction ship and pipe-laying vessel. Built for Heerema (NLD) at a cost of around US$ 3 bn (£2.27 bn) by Daewoo SME, Okpo, South Korea in 2014 as Pieter Schelte, it was renamed in 2016 and is operated by Allseas (CHE). The twin hulls measure 382 m in length on a record beam of 123.5 m (1,253 by 405.2 ft) and the vessel is dynamically positioned or propelled at a maximum of 14 knots (25.93 km/h; 16.1 mph) by means of 12 azimuth thrusters powered by eight MAN diesels, each generating 11,200 kW. Designed for single-lift construction and removal of oil and gas platform sections and the installation of record-weight pipelines, its eight horizontal lifting beams have a maximum capacity of 48,000 tons for topsides and 20,000 tons for jackets.

A world record was achieved in April 2017 with the removal of the topsides of the 24,000 ton Brent Delta platform in a single lift. The twin hulls are the size of two super tankers and the deck area is equal to eight football pitches. A slot in the bow measuring 122 by 59 m (400.3 by 193.6ft) allows the vessel to straddle oil platforms. Deployment of the stinger for pipe-laying increases the overall length to 477 m (1,565 ft).