View source for Seawise Giant

{{Short description|ULCC tanker, longest ship in history}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin
| display title = ital
}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = Knock Nevis.jpg
| Ship caption = TT ''Knock Nevis'', formerly ''Seawise Giant'', leaving the [[Dubai Drydocks]]
}}
{{Infobox ship career
| Ship registry = *[[Norway]] (1980–2004)
*[[Singapore]] (2004–2010)
| Ship name = *''Seawise Giant'' (1979–1991)
*''Happy Giant'' (1991)
*''Jahre Viking'' (1991–2004)
*''Knock Nevis'' (2004–2009)
*''Mont'' (2009–2010)
| Ship owner = *[[Amber Development]] (2009–2010)
*[[First Olsen Tankers Pte]]. (2004–2009)
*[[Loki Stream AS]] (1991–2004)
| Ship operator = [[Prayati Shipping]] (2009–2010)
| Ship completed = 1979
| Ship out of service = 1988 and 2009
| Ship fate = Scrapped in 2010
| Ship builder = *[[Sumitomo Heavy Industries|Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd.]]
*[[Yokosuka]], [[Kanagawa Prefecture|Kanagawa]], Japan
| Ship identification = *[[Maritime call sign|Call sign]]: S6AV7
*[[DNV GL|DNV ID:]] 16864
*{{IMO Number|7381154}}<ref>{{Cite ship register|register=psix|id=370263|shipname=JAHRE VIKING|access-date=16 October 2012}}</ref>
*[[Maritime Mobile Service Identity|MMSI no.:]] 564687016
| Ship notes = <ref name="shippingdatabase|94118">{{Cite ship register|register=SD|id=94118|shipname=Knock Nevis}}</ref><ref name="bluepulz1209" />
}}{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Ship type = [[Oil tanker|Crude oil tanker]]
| Ship displacement = *81,879 long tons light load
*646,642 long tons full load
| Ship tonnage = *{{GT|260,941}}
*{{NetT|214,793}}
*{{DWT|564,763}}
| Ship cargo capacity = {{convert|4100000|oilbbl|abbr=on}}.
| Ship length = {{convert|458.45|m|ft|2|abbr=on}}
| Ship beam = {{convert|68.6|m|ft|2|abbr=on}}
| Ship draft = {{convert|24.611|m|ft|abbr=on}}
| Ship depth = {{convert|29.8|m|ft|2|abbr=on}}
| Ship propulsion = {{unbulleted list|2 Mitsubishi V2M8 boilers (Designed by Combustion Engineering)|Sumitomo [[Ljungström turbine|Stal-Laval AP steam turbine]], 50,000 hp}}
| Ship capacity = 4.1 million barrels
| Ship speed = {{convert|16.5|kn}}
| Ship range = 
| Ship class = 
| Ship notes = <ref name=rss/>
}}
|}

The '''TT'''<!-- TT (Turbine Ship) was the actual prefix of the Seawise Giant --> '''''Seawise Giant'''''—earlier '''''Oppama'''''; later '''''Happy Giant''''', '''''Jahre Viking''''', '''''Knock Nevis''''', and '''''Mont'''''—was a [[Oil tanker|ULCC supertanker]] that was the longest self-propelled ship in history, built in 1974–1979 by [[Sumitomo Heavy Industries]] in [[Yokosuka]], [[Kanagawa Prefecture|Kanagawa]], Japan. It possessed the greatest [[deadweight tonnage]] ever recorded. Fully laden, its [[Displacement (ship)|displacement]] was 657,019 tonnes.

The heaviest self-propelled ship of any kind, and with a laden [[Draft (hull)|draft]] of 24.6&nbsp;m (81&nbsp;ft), it was incapable of navigating the [[English Channel]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/news/seawise-giant-the-largest-ship-ever-built/|title=The remarkable story of the largest ship ever built|publisher=telegraph.co.uk|date=1 March 2018|access-date=6 October 2022}}</ref> the [[Suez Canal]] or the [[Panama Canal]]. Overall, it is generally considered the largest self-propelled ship ever built.<ref name="singh">{{Cite news| author=Baljit Singh | title=The world's biggest ship | url= http://www.tribuneindia.com/1999/99jul11/sunday/head3.htm | work = The Tribune | date=11 July 1999 | access-date=4 June 2010}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | author=Rich Galiano | title=Artifacts & Shipwrecks: Tanker | url=http://njscuba.net/artifacts/ship_tanker.html | work=NJScuba.net | access-date=4 June 2010 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100702165135/http://njscuba.net/artifacts/ship_tanker.html | archive-date=2 July 2010 }}</ref> In 2013 its overall length was surpassed by 30 m by the floating liquified natural gas installation ''[[Prelude FLNG|Shell Prelude]]'' ([[Floating liquefied natural gas|FLNG]]), a monohull barge design {{convert|488|m|abbr=on}} long and 600,000 tonnes displacement. ''Seawise Giant's'' engines were powered by [[Ljungström turbine]]s.

It was damaged in 1988 during the [[Iran–Iraq War]], but was later repaired and restored to service.{{Citation needed|date=October 2023|reason=The old citation has died and now leads to a missing article}} The vessel was converted to a [[Floating production storage and offloading|floating storage and offloading unit]] (FSO) in 2004, [[Mooring|moored]] off the coast of [[Qatar]] in the [[Persian Gulf]] at the [[Al Shaheen Oil Field]].<ref name="bluepulz0909">{{Cite web |url=http://www.bluepulz.com/?Id=1342 |title=The world's largest ship to be scrapped |date=5 September 2009 |work=Bluepulz |access-date=4 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100317190941/http://www.bluepulz.com/?Id=1342 |archive-date=17 March 2010 }}</ref>

The vessel was sold to Indian [[Ship breaking|ship breakers]], and renamed ''Mont'' for a final journey in December 2009. After clearing Indian customs, the ship sailed to [[Alang Ship Breaking Yard]], [[Alang]], [[Gujarat]], where it was beached for scrapping, which was completed in 2010.<ref name="bluepulz0909"/><ref name=indianexpress>{{Cite news|author=Bhavnagar |url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/crude-oil-carrier-mont-awaits-clearance-to-d/556257/ | title = Crude oil carrier Mont awaits clearance to dock at Alang | date = 19 December 2009 | work = The Indian Express | access-date=4 June 2010}}</ref>

== History ==
[[File:"Seawise Giant" - Singapore, 1990.jpg|thumb|''Seawise Giant'' during its repairs in [[Singapore]] on December 27, 1990 after being hit by Iraqi Exocet during the [[Iran–Iraq War]].]][[File:MT Jahre Viking.png|thumb|''Jahre Viking''|222x222px]]
{{Building and ship comparison to the Pentagon2|''Knock Nevis'', ex-''Seawise Giant'' (in red)}}
''Seawise Giant'' was ordered in 1974 and delivered in 1979 by [[Sumitomo Heavy Industries|Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd.]] (S.H.I.) at Oppama shipyard in [[Yokosuka]], [[Kanagawa Prefecture|Kanagawa]], Japan, as a 418,611-ton Ultra Large Crude Carrier (ULCC).<ref>{{Cite book |title=Tanker Register 1987 |last=Clarkson Research Studies Ltd. |year=1987 |publisher=International Publication Service |isbn=0-8002-4143-6}}</ref> The vessel remained unnamed for a long time, and was identified by its hull number, 1016. During sea trials, 1016 exhibited severe vibration problems while going astern. The Greek owner refused to take delivery and the vessel was subject to a lengthy arbitration proceeding. Following settlement, the vessel was sold and named ''Oppama'' by S.H.I.<ref name="singh" />

The shipyard exercised its right to sell the vessel and a deal was brokered with Hong Kong [[OOCL|Orient Overseas Container Line]] founder [[Tung Chao-yung|C. Y. Tung]] to lengthen the ship by several metres and add 146,152 tonnes of cargo capacity through [[jumboisation]]. Two years later the ship was relaunched as ''Seawise Giant''.<ref name="singh" /><ref>{{Cite news |author=Sandra Burton |date=1996-12-23 |title=Beijing's Capitalist |work=Time Magazine |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,985727,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071214014859/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,985727,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=14 December 2007 |access-date=2010-06-04}}</ref> "Seawise", a pun on "C.Y.'s", was used in the names of other ships owned by C.Y. Tung, including ''[[RMS Queen Elizabeth|Seawise University]]''.<ref>{{Cite journal|journal=Far Eastern Economic Review|volume=116|issue=17 |date=23 April 1982|pages=76–78: 76 |title=The Tung Dynasty|quote=Like other "Seawise" ships in Tung's fleet, this vessel punned on C. Y.'s initials for its name.}}</ref>

After the refit, the ship had a capacity of {{DWT|564,763|metric|disp=long}}, a [[length overall]] of {{Convert|458.45|m|abbr=on}} and a draft of {{Convert|24.611|m|abbr=on}}. It had 46 tanks, and {{Convert|31541|m2|abbr=on}} of deck space. When ''Seawise Giant'' was fully loaded, its 25 meter/81 foot draft was too deep for the ship to safely navigate the relatively shallow waters of the [[English Channel]].<ref name="singh" /> The rudder weighed 230 tons, and the propeller weighed 50 tons.<ref name="incaa">[http://www.islandnavigation.org/seawiseGiant.html Seawise Giant] ''INC Alumni Association''. Retrieved: 24 July 2010. {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101118043817/http://www.islandnavigation.org/seawiseGiant.html |date=18 November 2010}}</ref>

''Seawise Giant'' was damaged in 1988{{Citation needed|date=October 2023|reason=The old citation has died and now leads to a missing article}} during the [[Iran–Iraq War]] by an [[Iraqi Air Force]] attack while anchored off [[Larak Island]], [[Iran]] on 14 May 1988 and carrying Iranian crude oil. The ship was struck by bombs.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-02-17|title=Story of Seawise Giant (The Largest Ship Ever Sunk) - CruiseUps.com|url=https://cruiseups.com/seawise-giant-largest-ship-ever-sunk/|access-date=2020-08-03|website=Cruise Ups|language=en-US}}</ref> Fires ignited aboard the ship and from oil that escaped into the ocean round it, and it blazed out of control,<ref name="New York Times 1988">{{Cite news |title=Iraq Hits 5 Ships in Persian Gulf |newspaper=The New York Times |date=15 May 1988 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/05/15/world/iraq-hits-5-ships-in-persian-gulf.html}}</ref>. Contrary to some newer online reports, the vessel did not sink. There are photos of the burnt out but still afloat vessel.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Seawise Giant after the air attack |url=http://www.aukevisser.nl/supertankers/id642.htm |access-date=2023-11-04 |website=www.aukevisser.nl}}</ref> 

After the fires were out the remaining cargo was subsequently discharged to other tankers.<ref name="Largest Ship in the World 2012">{{Cite web |title=Largest Ship in the World |url=http://www.largestshipintheworld.com/largest_ships_in_the_world/knock_nevis_seawise_giant_h.php}}</ref> The ship was declared a [[constructive total loss]], which means the ship was intact but so damaged that it would cost more to repair it than the value of the repaired vessel.<ref name="pike06">{{Cite web |author=John Pike |title=Knock Nevis / ex-Jahre Viking |url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/jahre-viking.htm |work=Global Security |date=2006-11-01 |access-date=2010-06-04}}</ref>

Shortly after the Iran–Iraq war ended, a Norwegian investment firm managed by Finanshuset bought the damaged vessel, which had by then been towed to a lay-up location off Labuan. The manager was Norman International AS, a Norwegian ship manager that was subsequently dissolved in 1992. The vessel was subsequently towed from Labuan to Singapore and repaired.{{Citation needed|date=October 2023|reason=The old citation has died and now leads to a missing article}} The ship was renamed ''Happy Giant'' after the repairs, in line with Norman International’s tradition of naming tankers with the prefix «Happy» and bulkers with the prefix «Norman».<ref name=rss>{{Cite web |title=20th Century Ships: Seawise Giant (Happy Giant) (Jahre Viking) (Knock Nevis) (Mont) |url=http://www.relevantsearchscotland.co.uk/ships/jahre.html |work=Relevant Search Scotland |date=2010-01-17 |access-date=2010-06-04}}</ref> These repairs were done at the [[Keppel Corporation]] shipyard in Singapore after towing the vessel from the lay-up location at Labuan. It entered service in October 1991 as ''Happy Giant''.<ref name="pike06" />

[[Jørgen Jahre]] bought the tanker in 1991 for US$39 million and renamed its ''Jahre Viking''. From 1991 to 2004, it was owned by various Norwegian investment firms and flew the [[flag of Norway]].<ref name="pike06" />

In 2004, the tanker was purchased by [[First Olsen Tankers]], renamed ''Knock Nevis'', and converted into a permanently moored storage tanker in the [[Qatar]] [[Al Shaheen Oil Field]] in the Persian Gulf.<ref name="singh" /><ref name="pike06" />

''Knock Nevis'' was renamed ''Mont'', and reflagged to [[Sierra Leone]] by new owners [[Amber Development]] for a final voyage to India where it was scrapped at [[Alang]] by Priya Blue Industries.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Leading Green Ship Recycler in India {{!}} Priya Blue |url=https://www.priyablue.com/ |access-date=2023-05-23 |website=www.priyablue.com}}</ref> The vessel was beached on 22 December 2009.<ref name="bluepulz1209">{{Cite news |title=World's largest ship Knock Nevis to be scrapped |url=http://www.bluepulz.com/?Id=2245 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708075844/http://www.bluepulz.com/?Id=2245 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2011-07-08 |work=Bluepulz |date=2009-12-16 |access-date=2010-06-04}}</ref><ref name=indianexpress /><ref>{{Cite web |title=World's Largest Ships: Supertanker – Knock Nevis |url=http://www.maritime-connector.com/ContentDetails/1433/gcgid/191/lang/English/World-s-Largest-Ships.wshtml |work=Maritime Connector |year=2010 |access-date=4 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080814090101/http://www.maritime-connector.com/ContentDetails/1433/gcgid/191/lang/English/World-s-Largest-Ships.wshtml |archive-date=14 August 2008 }}</ref> Due to the length and the size of the vessel, scrapping only finished at the end of 2010. The ship's 36 tonne anchor was saved and donated to the [[Hong Kong Maritime Museum]] in 2010.<ref>{{Cite web|date=June 30, 2010|title=Main anchor of the Jahre Viking/Seawise Giant arrives in Hong Kong|url=https://www.heavyliftpfi.com/sectors/main-anchor-of-the-jahre-viking/-seawise-giant-arrives-in-hong-kong/3039.article|website=Heavy Lift & Project Forwarding International}}</ref> It was later moved to a [[Government Dockyard|Hong Kong Government Dockyard]] building on [[Stonecutters Island]].<ref>{{Google maps |url= https://www.google.com/maps/place/22%C2%B019'22.8%22N+114%C2%B008'27.0%22E/@22.3230459,114.1407815,121m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d22.323004!4d114.140845 |title= Seawise Giant Anchor Coordinates |access-date= 15 September 2020}}</ref>

== Size record ==
[[File:Bateaux comparaison2 with Allure.svg|thumb|Size comparison of some of the longest ships. From top to bottom: ''Knock Nevis'' (ex-''Seawise Giant''), ''[[Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller (ship)|Maersk Mc-Kinney Møller]]'', ''[[MS Ore Brasil|Vale Brasil]]'', ''[[Allure of the Seas]]'', and {{USS|Enterprise|CVN-65}}|224x224px]]
[[File:Comparison of Knock Nevis with other large buildings.svg|frame|A comparison diagram of the ''Knock Nevis'' with several large buildings. From left to right: [[Eiffel Tower]], [[Empire State Building]], [[Petronas Towers]], ''Knock Nevis'' (ex ''Seawise Giant)'', [[Willis Tower]], [[Taipei 101]] and [[Burj Khalifa]].]]
''Seawise Giant'' was the longest ship ever constructed, at {{cvt|458.45|m|||}}, longer than the height of many of the world's tallest buildings, including the {{Convert|451.9|m|abbr=on}} [[Petronas Towers]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Knock Nevis - The world's largest ship ever|url=https://www.container-transportation.com/knock-nevis.html|access-date=2020-10-09|website=Container Transportation}}</ref>

Despite a great length, ''Seawise Giant'' was not the [[List of largest ships by gross tonnage|largest ship]] by gross tonnage, ranking sixth at 260,941 GT, behind the crane ship ''[[Pioneering Spirit]]'' and the four 274,838 to 275,276 GT [[Batillus-class supertanker|''Batillus''-class supertankers]]. It was the longest and largest by deadweight: 564,763 tonnes.<ref name=ShipsMonthly1>{{Citation | last= Shaw |first= John |title= Pioneering Spirit: Profile of the World's Biggest Ship |journal=[[Ships Monthly]]|pages= 33–37 |date= May 2018 }}</ref><ref name=Allseas1>{{Cite web |url= http://allseas.com/equipment/pioneering-spirit/ |title= Pioneering Spirit |website=Allseas.com }}</ref>

''Seawise Giant'' was featured on the [[BBC]] series ''[[Jeremy Clarkson's Extreme Machines]]'' while sailing as ''Jahre Viking''. According to its captain, S. K. Mohan, the ship could reach up to {{Convert|16.5|knots|km/h}} in good weather. It took {{Convert|5+1/2|miles|km|0|order=flip|abbr=on}} for the ship to stop from that speed, and the [[Turning radius|turning circle]] in clear weather was about {{Convert|2|miles|abbr=on|0|order=flip}}.<ref>{{Cite episode | title=Powerrrrr!: ''Yara Viking'' Ship, Largest Man Made Moving Machine on the Planet! | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WX2HFVHbo18 | series=[[Jeremy Clarkson's Extreme Machines]] | credits=Jeremy Clarkson | network=BBC | airdate=15 August 2008 | access-date=14 June 2010}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of longest ships]]
*[[TI-class supertanker]]
*[[Freedom Ship]]
{{Clear|right}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{Cite news | last=Watt |first=Nick |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/Story?id=4087781&page=1 |title=Skipper Shortage: Supply Not Keeping Pace |access-date=5 April 2008 |date=4 January 2007 |work=ABC News Nightline}}
*{{Cite book|title= Tanker Register 1987 |last=Clarkson Research Studies Ltd. |year=1987 |publisher= International Publication Service |isbn= 0-8002-4143-6}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|IMO 7381154}}
*{{YouTube|WX2HFVHbo18 Video of Jahre Viking}}
*{{YouTube|QxbY1wR87b0|Seawise Giant-launch in 1979}}
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yM7koTSHmtY The Jahre Viking]

{{1988 shipwrecks}}

[[Category:1979 ships]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1988]]
[[Category:Fred. Olsen & Co.]]
[[Category:Floating production storage and offloading vessels]]
[[Category:Oil tankers]]
[[Category:Ships built by Sumitomo Heavy Industries]]
[[Category:Iran–Iraq War]]
[[Category:Tankers of Norway]]
[[Category:Construction records]]
[[Category:Steam turbine-powered ships]]