This is not just shipping business which has grown over decades, the ship construction and size has grown tremendously due to innovative technology, rising greed and demand. Bulk carriers, Tankers, LNG carriers and containers, all type of vessel has seen new sizes and capacity addition one after another. With opening of new Panama Canal in 2016 some ship-owners and yards are already into foray of bigger sized vessels, we will watch it.
Summarising below the growth of ship’s size, we are eyeing the future of even larger sized vessels.
- Bulk carrier – 10000DWT to 350000DWT – 35 times
- Oil Tankers – 10000DWT to 550000DWT – 50times
- Containers – 400TEU to 20000TEU – 50 times
- LNG – from 339 feet to 1600 feet – 4 times
Passenger ship – 362 meter long – 6296 passengers maximum.
For an ordinary cargo vessel the number of crew has decreased from 60-70 in 1970s to 20 crew now, thanks to automation and technology. However with increasing regulation and monitoring, this is creating immense work load on present crew on board.
Just for information – Christopher Columbus had 87 crew on his voyage on Santa Maria.
The growth of ship size in last 50 years has left the human race growth behind.
Marine Vault 
Any comments on Minimum Safe Manning Requirements having inverse relationship with this ever increasing sizes.
Can a highly automated machinery spaces and other ship equipment’s, discount for the min no. of crew on board ? Besides that the frequency at which ships(especially container ships) calling ports ; is it safe enough to go down on safe manning requirements?? Matter which calls for a discussion!!!
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Sea will be the limit.
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Change and Growth- of shipsizes- is inevitable. In fact, this sort of development may morph into a new idea of Floating Islands to sustain communities or industries where Land Acquisition faces many hurdles. Next step would be to raise a few well placed sails on these ‘islands’ and Lo & Behold- you have a moving town! The possibilities are many.
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