7 World's Largest Ships Launched In Maritime Industry In 2018

In the year 2018, the maritime industry saw the launch of some of the most impressive vessels which are also currently the largest in the world among their types. Let’s take a look at some of the top launches made in the industry this year.

World’s Largest Cruise Ship

The world’s largest cruise ship “Symphony of the seas” was launched by the Royal Caribbean Cruises at the STX France shipyard this year. The 25th ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, Symphony of the Seas is 228,081 gross registered tons, measures 238 feet tall and spans 1,188 feet long. The world’s largest cruise ship can accommodate 5,518 guests at double occupancy in 2,759 staterooms, including 28 additional balcony rooms that overlook the ocean or signature Boardwalk neighbourhood.

symphony of seas

Read more about the world’s largest cruise ship here.

2. World’s Largest Cutter Suction Dredger

SPARTACUS, a 44,180kW self-propelled cutter suction dredger (CSD) designed and built for DEME, was successfully launched by Royal IHC in 2018.

Cutter Suction Dredger

The SPARTACUS is the world’s largest CSD and the first to be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG). The four main engines can run on LNG, marine diesel oil (MDO) and heavy fuel oil (HFO). The two auxiliary engines also incorporate dual-fuel technology.

As the first LNG-powered CSD in the world, the SPARTACUS sets a new benchmark in the industry. It also features several additional innovations, such as a waste heat recovery system, a one-man operated dredge control and a heavy-duty cutter ladder that can reach a dredging depth of 45m.

3. World’s Largest MOSS-Type LNG Transport Vessel

In March this year, Kawasaki Heavy Industries delivered PACIFIC BREEZE, a 182,000 m3 capacity liquefied natural gas (LNG) transport vessel, which is the world’s largest MOSS-type LNG carrier.

MOSS-Type LNG Transport Vessel

The vessel is equipped with a DFD electric propulsion system to offer excellent fuel efficiency across a broad range of speeds.

The thermal insulation system of the LNG tanks adopts the proprietary Kawasaki Panel System developed in-house, which offers outstanding heat insulation performance for an LNG boil-off rate of no more than approximately 0.08% per day.

Know more about this LNG carrier here.

4. World’s Largest Plug-In Hybrid Ship

Color Line and Ulstein Verft marked the construction start-up on the world’s largest plug-in hybrid ship, the ‘Color Hybrid’ this year.

Color Hybrid

‘Color Hybrid’ will be servicing Sandefjord-Strömstad from summer 2019. Even before the ship has been built, she has earned her first award. At the opening ceremony of the Nor-Shipping exhibition in 2017, the ship was appointed the winner of the Next Generation Ship Award.

‘Color Hybrid’ is a plug-in hybrid vessel. This means that the ship will switch to batteries when it reaches the fjord outside Sandefjord. The ship will be powered by battery through the fjord, without noise or harmful emissions. When moored in Sandefjord, the vessel will be charged by a shore connection.

Know more about this unique vessel here.

5. World’s Largest LNG Bunker Supply Vessel

Babcock International celebrated the completion of the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunker supply vessel, M.V. Kairos.

M.V. Kairos

Capable of performing both ship-to-ship bunkering and transhipment operations, the vessel will be used for the LNG fuelling of ships including ferries, containers, cruise vessels and other shore-based gas consumers.

Equipped with Babcock’s Fuel Gas Supply Vessel Zero (FGSV0™) technology – a scalable cargo handling and fuelling solution complete with compressed natural gas storage and utilisation capabilities – Kairos will eliminate the release of boil-off and flash gas to the atmosphere during normal operations providing an environmentally responsible shipping alternative. The innovative FGSV0™ enables significant reductions in emissions and offers beneficial environmental footprint savings.

Read more about the largest bunker supply vessel here.

6. World’s Largest Short Sea Ro-Ro Vessel

MV Celine, the world’s largest short-sea Ro-Ro ship, was christened in a ceremony at Dublin Port this year. ,

With a capacity of 8,000 lane-meters, MV Celine represents the next generation of super ferries servicing Dublin Port. Significantly, her arrival marks a new milestone in the multi-million-euro ABR Project to futureproof Dublin Port. Such is her size, MV Celine would not have been able to call into Dublin Port had development works on three kilometres of berths not already commenced.

MV Celine

The 235m long ship was constructed in South Korea’s Hyundai Mipo Shipyard before being deployed to her homeports of Zeebrugge and Rotterdam. In October 2017, MV Celine made her maiden call into Dublin, providing additional capacity for customers trading with Continental Europe via the ports of Zeebrugge and Rotterdam.