A crucial metric that defines the capacity and capacities of these gigantic ships that sail the high seas is their length. This is especially true of cargo ships and tankers that carry petroleum goods and crude oil across the oceans. Over decades, ships have evolved to become longer and larger to enable movement of ever-increasing quantities of materials. We look at some of the longest ships that have graced our waters based on authoritative data.
What Constitutes the World’s Longest Ships
When ranking ships by length, the measurement used is the overall length from the foremost point at the bow to the aftermost point on the stern. Gross tonnage is another measure of a ship’s size based on volume, but length is a more intuitive gauge. The world’s longest ships are huge crude carriers known as supertankers and ultra-large crude carriers (ULCCs). They can be nearly a quarter mile long!
Brief History of Ship Length Records
Ship sizes including length have grown remarkably over the past many decades. Where a few hundred feet constituted a large ship earlier, we have lengths of over 1,500 feet today. This reflects the explosive growth in international seaborne trade and the need to achieve economies of scale by using mammoth ships. The supertanker era began in the 1970s with vessels over 1,000 feet long capable of carrying 500,000 tonnes of cargo.
1 – Seawise Giant (later Happy Giant, Jahre Viking)
Holding the record for being both the longest and largest ship ever built, this gigantic vessel is an oil tanker originally named Seawise Giant when she was built in 1979 by renowned Japanese shipbuilder Sumitomo Heavy Industries. Measuring a stunning 1,504 feet in length with displacement tonnage of 657,019 tons, she was the longest ship for two decades! Her gross tonnage was 260,941 which reflects massive storage space. Originally owned by a Hong Kong firm, she was taken over by Norwegian shipping company Jahre and renamed Happy Giant and then Jahre Viking. She served as a floating storage and offloading unit from 2004 until being sent for scrap in 2009.
2 – TI Class Supertankers
These four identical oil tankers built in 2002-2003 in South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding yard remain amongst the largest vessels by length today. They measured 1,246 feet in length with gross tonnage of 441,893 tons reflecting their vast scale as crude oil carriers. Originally named TI Africa, TI Asia, TI Europe, TI Oceania as they were contracted by Norwegian firm Teekay, they served different companies over the years. They can each carry over 3 million barrels of oil as they ply the oceans. They utilized the latest technologies for propulsion and cargo handling when built.
3 – Esso Atlantic
Owned by the shipping arm of oil major Exxon Mobil, this Ultra-Large Crude Carrier (ULCC) named Esso Atlantic still ranks amongst the longest ships ever built. Constructed in 1977 by renowned Spanish shipbuilder Astilleros Espanoles, this oil tanker measured 1,240 feet lengthwise. With gross tonnage exceeding half a million at 516,891 tons, she had tremendous capacity to transport vast quantities of crude oil in a single run. Her massive size allowed taking advantage of scale economies on long voyages. One of the largest ships when launched, she operated for over 25 years before being converted for floating oil storage.
4 – Batillus Class Supertankers
This class refers to two sister ships, the Batillus and the Bellamya, which were built in 1976 as some of the first modern supertankers over 1,000 feet long. Built by the acclaimed French shipbuilder Chantiers de l’Atlantique, these huge vessels measured 1,236 feet lengthwise. They had mammoth capacity with gross tonnage of 553,662 tons each, reflecting their ability to move vast amounts of crude oil in a single passage. Both served extensively to transport oil from the Middle East to Europe and North America during the 1970s and 1980s.
5 – Pierre Guillaumat (later Seawise Giant)
The Pierre Guillaumat is another ULCC supertanker that held the longest ship record for five years. Built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique in 1976, she was one of the biggest ships in the world for many years with her 1,220 feet length and voluminous capacity of 564,763 gross register tonnage. Originally named after a French politician, she later became the Seawise Giant owned by Hong Kong firms, then Happy Giant before being scrapped as Jahre Viking. At her peak, she could transport over 2 million barrels of crude oil on ultra long voyages for efficiency.
6 – Berge Emperor
A large crude carrier serving as floating storage and offloading vessel, this ship named Berge Emperor was built in 1986 by Chinese shipyard Bohai. Measuring 1,213 feet nose to tail with substantial 214,793 gross tons capacity, she could load millions of barrels of oil for transportation. She continues providing valuable service as a stationary floating storage facility today after being converted in 2004, a role many massive tankers play in later years.
7 – TI Africa
As one of the four identical TI Class supertankers built in the early 2000s, this ship named TI Africa remains amongst the elite world’s longest ships. Built by South Korea’s Daewoo in 2002, she measures 1,246 feet between perpendiculars with 441,893 gross tonnage. Besides loading well over 3 million barrels of crude oil in her holds, her vast tankage gave flexibility in voyage planning to customers. After initially serving Taiwanese firm TMT, she has rendered sterling cargo delivery duty for Saudi Aramco in recent years.
8 – Berge Stahl
Originally built as a crude oil tanker by renowned Korean shipyard Hyundai in 1986, this vessel named Berge Stahl was later refitted for a new role as a floating storage and offloading (FSO) unit. Measuring 1,120 feet length overall with substantial carrying capacity of 214,723 gross tons, the ship’s excellent structural stability has allowed her retrofitting for equipment and processing vast barrels of oil. As a stationary FSO facility with dynamic positioning equipment, she helps efficiently store and transport petroleum extracted offshore.
9 – Knock Nevis
This ship has the distinction of being the longest ship ever built for close to three decades at an astonishing 1,504 feet length with voluminous gross tonnage of 260,941. Originally launched as Seawise Giant in 1979 before becoming Happy Giant and later Jahre Viking, she was scrapped two decades ago. As a ULCC supertanker, her ocean-spanning length and industry-leading capacity fueled efficiencies in global energy distribution networks for years, playing role in Japan’s economic ascent. She overtook her sister ship Pierre Guillaumat as the longest when she set sail.
10 – MV Esso Atlantic
We close our review of longest ships worldwide with the Esso Atlantic, which served the shipping arm of global oil major Exxon as an integral energy supply chain asset. Built in 1977 by Spanish firm Astilleros Espanoles, she measured 1,240 feet lengthwise with gross tonnage of 516,891. Besides transporting vast quantities of oil for 25 years across continents, serving Exxon’s refining and distribution needs, she took on a new mission as floating oil storage from 2001 prior to scrapping. Her trailblazing size represented mega tankers that drove shipping’s transformation.
We have thus covered some of the lengthy giants that roamed ocean waters as the longest ships ever built to transport crude oil across the globe and also serve as critical floating storage assets. Spurred by the enormous growth in energy consumption worldwide, their superlative dimensions over a quarter mile driven by economies of scale even as shipbuilders vied to set new length records. These leviathans of the sea continue to fuel the engines of worldwide commerce using innovations in propulsion and cargo handling. Their legacy as flag bearers of international seaborne trade continues as newer vessels adapt proven dimensions to serve global connectivity.
Related FAQs
What was the longest ship ever built?
The longest ship ever built so far is the Seawise Giant, later renamed Happy Giant and Jahre Viking. An ultra-large crude carrier (ULCC) built in 1979 by Sumitomo Heavy Industries, it measured a massive 1,504 feet in length.
Which currently operating ship is the longest?
The TI Class supertankers, comprising TI Africa, TI Asia, TI Europe and TI Oceania, are currently the longest active ships in the world. These identical crude oil tankers measured 1,246 feet when built between 2002-2003 by Daewoo Shipbuilding.
What are some common roles of longest ships?
The longest ships are usually crude oil supertankers and ultra-large oil carriers (ULCCs), transporting petroleum from ports in the Middle East to refineries across North America, Europe and Asia. In later years, many serve as floating storage and offloading (FSO) units.
How is ship length measured and what does it signify?
A ship’s length is measured between the foremost tip of the bow to the aftermost end of the stern. It determines cargo capacity, with longer ships able to transport more barrels of oil. Length also relates to economies of scale for massive vessels.
Why were ships built increasingly big over the decades?
International seaborne trade has grown explosively over the decades. To reduce transportation costs per barrel and also cut voyages needed, oil majors built gigantic ships that could leverage scale economies and hold vast quantities per trip across oceans.
