Knock Nevis

The Knock Nevis is a giant Pétrolier, which bore the preceding names of Seawise Giant , Happy Giant and Jahre Viking . It makes 458 m of length and 69 m broad what makes of it largest Navire in the world and also the greatest mobile structure in the world; however, it acquired this title only after one enlarging: the largest ship ever built is the Pierre Guillaumat . The Knock Nevis was built between 1979 and 1981, damaged during the Iran-Iraq war then given to flood in 1991. It is currently used as floating station of storage; the longest ship in operation is thus the Porte-conteneurs Emma Mærsk .

It is at the same time the longest ship (458,45 m), heaviest (649 955 T with full load) and with the greatest capacity (564 650 deadweight tonnage). For the width, it is exceeded by several other tankers, the Sea World being broadest with 79,04 Mr.

The ship

The Knock Nevis has a Port into heavy of 564 763 tons and a displacement of 649 955 tons with full load; it can carry 650 000 m ³ of Crude oil. Its Tirant of water is then of 24,6 m what restricts its zones of navigation: it cannot cross the channels of Panamá or Suez, nor even the Manche. Equipped with a crew of 40 people, it sails under house of Singapore.

History

The Knock Nevis is built with the shipyard Oppama with the Japan (group Sumitomo Heavy Industries) for the Armateur Greek M.P.Nomikos; this one refuses to take the ship after its launching in 1975, because of excessive vibrations due to a defective design of the reducing , and also because of the oil crisis. The ship then has a port into heavy of 419 000 tons, high without being extreme at the time compared to series of the Batillus .

The ship is thus sold to a Chinese owner in 1979 for 40 million dollars. The tycoon of the maritime transport Tung Chao Yung, of HongKong, the fact of finishing, makes him accomplish two voyages under his name of origin Seawise Giant (word game with the name of C.Y. Tung) then the lengthening-piece of 81 meters in 1980, which makes some largest and large ship in the world with a port into heavy of 564.763 tons. The ship is started again in 1981; it will need support of the Chinese government after some financial problems caused by the purchase and the enlarging of the ship, this one having cost 33 million dollars.

The Seawise Giant sails little: it accomplishes two voyages in 1981 including one with load partial, then is used as floating station of storage, with Aruba as from 1981, the Mexico in 1983 and Iran in 1986. The May 14th 1988, during the War Iran-Iraq, the ship is attacked and seriously damaged by Iraqi bombs whereas it is with the terminal of Ormuz, in the Détroit of Ormuz. The wreck is towed with Brunei, then repurchased in 1989 by a Norwegian company. It is repaired with the Keppel building site in Singapore and is re-elected Happy Giant , then Jahre Viking when the company is repurchased by Jørgen Jahre. It accomplishes then voyages between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Mexico, with sometimes of the stopovers in Europe with Antifer.

In March 2004, the ship is sent in Cale dries with Dubai in order to be reconverted in FSO (floating unit of storage and unloading) for its new owner, Fred Olsen Production. It accepted there its new name of Knock Nevis . The ship is now wet in a permanent way to oil field Al Shaheen, with the Qatar.

Sources

Corner Gerard, '' twenty years ago, the " Batillus" '', The Sailor, International July 5th, 1996
Technical informations according to Supertankers and Det Norske Veritas
Coordinated according to the SHOM and Admiralty Notes to Mariners.

See too

List of the largest ships
List of the largest tankers

External bonds

Statistical Photographs of Knock Nevis
and photographs
Photographs of Knock Nevis (ex-Jahre Viking)
Photographs of the attack at the time of the Iran-Iraq war.