Container Ship In High Seas

Take a look at a container ship as it battles the immense force of waves in high seas. We discover how ingenious design and modern engineering is matching the might of mother nature.

Ship Vs Mother Nature

Imagine a container ship, colossal in size, stretching over 300 metres (1000 ft) with a deadweight tonnage (DWT) exceeding 65,000 tonnes. Though such figures are so easily expressed, their scale should not be overlooked with consideration to the immense forces of nature such a vessel will encounter in its lifetime. Despite its super strength hull made of high quality reinforced steel, it will battle countless storms and mighty ocean swells across the globe burdened with freight.

This week we ponder how large container ships are able to withstand the unparalleled strength of nature. The answer?

...they bend.

We somehow imagine the steel used to construct container ships to be rigid and unbendable. It has a reputation for strength and toughness, and yet it is the steel's ability to flex - under immense forces - that makes large vessels even stronger. In what can only be described as engineering genius, designers and manufacturers utilise steel's flexing qualities to prevent ships from snapping in half in high seas. The result? Bigger and bigger container ships designed to withstand the worst of mother nature at sea.

Not convinced?

Take a look at the footage below which documents the journey of one such container ship during high seas. Fast forward to the one minute mark and you'll see the hull twist and contort as each wave hits the vessel.