Unusual ships and vessels. The most unusual sailing ships of all time
They can roll over, navigate through ferocious storms, and carry oil platforms. We present you a selection of eight of the most remarkable specimens that will change your idea of \u200b\u200bmarine vessels.
RP-FLIP
Scientists Fred Fisher and Fred Spies created the RP FLIP in 1962 as a vessel for studying sound waves underwater. This ship, which is the property of the US Navy, has one notable feature: it can roll over perpendicular to the surface of the sea and sink its leading edge under the water, leaving only the rear part above the water. 
This makes the FLIP also an ideal tool for investigating wave heights and water temperatures. To flip the FLIP, the crew fills 700 tons sea water tanks located in a long, narrow stern. When the survey is completed, the crew replaces the water in the tanks with compressed air, causing the ship to return to a level position. 
vanguard
Built in 2012, Vanguard is the world's largest cargo ship. This massive vessel is 70% larger than any analogues and, unlike them, has an absolutely flat deck. This means that all 275 meters of length and 70 meters of width can be fully used for loading. 
The ship is also semi-submersible - using watertight ballast tanks, the crew can lower the deck below the surface of the water. This is useful when the Vanguard needs to capture floating payloads such as the capsized Costa Concordia. 
Sea Shadow
Lockheed Martin built the "Sea Shadow" during cold war as a secret test ship for the US Navy. The ship was in the waters off Southern California from 1985 to 1993 in order to study the possibility of creating a "stealth" ship using the stealth technology of the F-117 Nighthawk aircraft. 
The ship was supposed to be less affected by waves and more stable even in extreme storms. In addition, its unusual body of large flat panels set at 45 degrees to each other, as well as a ferrite coating that absorbs radar waves, make the Sea Shadow really quite unobtrusive to radar. 
Severodvinsk
Entered service in June 2014, this Russian multipurpose nuclear submarine is equipped with supersonic cruise missiles fourth generation and homing deep-sea torpedoes. It is the lead ship of the Yasen project of the Russian Navy and the first submarine in which torpedo tubes are located behind the central post compartment. 
The 119-meter Severodvinsk can dive to a depth of 600 meters and travel at speeds up to 30 knots (55 km/h), outpacing most torpedoes. The submarine is equipped with an almost silent nuclear reactor, low-noise propeller and hull covered with sound-absorbing material to avoid detection. 
Alvin (DSV-2)
The DSV-2 debuted in 1964 as the world's first manned deep-sea submersible and has been continually improved in design ever since. He has made over 4,600 dives, including a mission to study the wreck of the Titanic. 
The robust steel hull, 7 meters long and 3.6 meters wide, was replaced with a lightweight titanium one, which made it possible to reach a depth of almost 6400 meters. Inside there is enough space for three people, and outside the bathyscaphe is equipped with two mechanical manipulators. 
Chikyu
With its scanning capability seabed up to 7 km deep, the Japanese research vessel Chikyu is an important tool for scientists in understanding global geological changes. The ship monitors seismogenic areas of the earth's crust in order to provide early warning of future earthquakes. 
It can also be used to drill the earth's crust and examine her mantle. The vessel is equipped with a sophisticated on-board computer that takes into account navigation system data, wind speed, waves and undercurrents, controlling the engines based on these readings. 
wave glider
Small California company Liquid Robotics has developed an unmanned vessel designed to collect data on environment in conditions too dangerous for humans. Wave Glider consists of a body with solar panels surfboard-like design and belt-driven hydrofoils - this design makes the Wave Glider the ideal boat for working in extreme conditions ocean. 
The drone can be equipped with 70 various sensors for data collection and mapping tools, sending information online to the "cloud" storage. 
Sea Orbiter
Existing only as a prototype so far, SeaOrbiter will be the world's first non-stop reconnaissance vessel, allowing scientists to spend months at sea in search of new life forms. The SeaOrbiter will be powered by wind and solar energy, and the 60m long, 1 ton body will be made from recycled aluminum known as Sealium, which is suitable for harsh conditions sea depths. 
Inside, there will be a research laboratory and several small submersibles for individual research. Construction of SeaOrbiter is scheduled for the end of the year. 
Ramform Titan
Seismic company Petroleum Geo-Services placed a preliminary order for the construction of two W-class Ramform vessels from the Japanese company Mitsubishi heavy industries. The vessels are representatives of the new fifth generation of the Ramform series. The cost of each of them is estimated at $250 million. 
Safety, efficiency and performance are key features of the new Ramform Titan, equipped with 24 offshore seismic streamers, which was recently presented at the MHI shipyard in Nagasaki, Japan. new ship will become the most powerful and efficient marine seismic vessel ever built. It is also the widest (at the waterline) ship in the world. When designing the vessel, safety and performance were the main considerations. This is the first of four ships to be built in Japan. 
Proteus (Proteus)
The futuristic ship Proteus looks like something out of a sci-fi movie, a catamaran that resembles a water strider. The cabin for the crew and passengers is mounted on four giant metal "spider legs", which, in turn, are mounted on two pontoons, providing reliable buoyancy. Proteus is about 30 meters long and 15 meters wide. An unusual vessel is set in motion by two diesel engines with a capacity of 355 Horse power every. Proteus displacement is 12 tons, weight limit payload- two tons. 
Its cabin (with four berths), in the parking lot, can descend into the water, separate and make independent navigation for a short distance. This increases the flexibility of the new apparatus. The cabin can approach the pier, leaving its paws hundreds of meters from the shore. And, most importantly, the cabin can be changed, turning one Proteus into a multifunctional device. Proteus is aptly named after the Greek sea god, who is said to be able to assume various forms.
1 Viking Lady
The Viking Lady, an offshore service vessel, is powered by internal combustion engines and a gas-fired fuel cell battery. The vessel's battery system transfers power to an electric motor, the first commercial vessel in the world to use this technology.
According to DNV, the technology used on board the vessel reduces CO2 emissions into the atmosphere, as well as reducing harmful emissions of nitrogen oxide into the atmosphere, which are comparable in terms of emissions to 22,000 cars a year.
Last week, Det Norske Veritas completed tests on a new fuel system on board the ship, as a result research project went out to new level when tests are carried out directly on the ship.
Viking Lady is likely to work for the French fuel giant Total and will be involved in fuel extraction on the Norwegian continental shelf. 
2. Concrete ships
Norwegian engineer Nikolai Fegner, in 1917 created the first self-propelled marine vessel made of reinforced concrete. He named it "Namsenfijord". The Americans built a similar cargo ship Faith a year later. By the way, during the years of World War II, 24 reinforced concrete ships and 80 barges were built in the United States. 
In 1975 for storage liquefied gas reinforced concrete tanker "Andjuna Sakti" with a deadweight of 60,000 tons was built 
During the Second World War, the Americans built 24 reinforced concrete ships.
The ships were built in Tampa, Florida starting in July 1943, each taking less than a month to build. The ships were named after the great scientists of those times.
Two ships were sunk during the battles of Normandy, nine are used as breakwaters at Kiptopeke, Virginia, two have been converted to moorings at Yaquina Bay, Newport, Oregon, and seven more have been converted into a giant breakwater on the Powell River in Canada. 
3. Proteus
The futuristic ship Proteus looks like something out of a sci-fi movie, a catamaran that resembles a water strider. The cabin for the crew and passengers is mounted on four giant metal "spider legs", which, in turn, are mounted on two pontoons, providing reliable buoyancy. Proteus is about 30 meters long and 15 meters wide. 
The unusual vessel is driven by two diesel engines with a capacity of 355 horsepower each. The displacement of the Proteus is 12 tons, the maximum payload mass is two tons. Its cabin (with four berths), in the parking lot, can descend into the water, separate and make independent navigation for a short distance. This increases the flexibility of the new apparatus. The cabin can approach the pier, leaving its paws hundreds of meters from the shore. And, most importantly, the cabin can be changed, turning one Proteus into a multifunctional device. Proteus is aptly named after the Greek sea god, who is said to be able to assume various forms. 
Developed in complete secrecy, the project was first presented to the public on the water in San Francisco Bay by the Californian company Marine Advanced Reasearch. Its author and ship's captain, Hugo Conti, has long been planning to create a vessel of unusual design. "It is fundamentally new model he says. - It moves very differently than a normal ship - much faster due to its low weight. In essence, "Proteus" seems to be dancing on the waves. According to the inventor, "Proteus" is extremely light, very maneuverable and has a cruising range of more than 8 thousand kilometers. There is no rudder on it: the vessel is controlled by propellers mounted on each float. Conti has patented his invention and expects to start selling it in the near future.
Proteus, the first full size WAM-V (Modular Wave Adapting Vessel), is an exceptional vessel that features modularity, low weight, wide range of applications, low impact waves of the sea, convenience of action, low level noise and low fuel consumption. 
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Pretty requested post a large number users, thanks for the idea
The vessel "LNG Dream" is one of the largest tankers in the world for the transportation of liquefied natural gas. Almost all ships of this type, carrying out maritime transportation, differ little from each other, but LNG Dream still has one difference. The cargo ship has its own unique style - psychedelic-style frescoes are painted on four spherical tanks. The total area of drawings is 4000 square meters. m and is equal to the area of one hundred buses.
The gas carrier, owned by the Japanese company Osaka Gas, was built in 2006 at the Sakaide shipyard of Kawasaki Shipbuilding Corporation.
Representatives of the Osaka Gas company decided to paint the tanker in honor of the company's centenary celebration. They offered students elementary school Kansai take photographs of artist Jimmy Onishi's drawings of fish, crabs, shrimp and turtles. After that, the employees of the subsidiary "Sumitomo Ltd." 3M company with the help computer programs processed the photos and put them on self-adhesive sheets, which were attached to the tanks.
The total area of the graphic image is more than 1 ha. This prompted Sumitomo 3M to apply for the Guinness Book of Records for the largest graphic on a vehicle.
Submarine for drug dealers
The ekranoplan, soaring like a bird, made a strong impression. Immediately, a closed government program was adopted to develop a new direction in shipbuilding. The main customer in the Central Design Bureau was the USSR Navy.
Prepared by Snezhana Pavlova
Since ancient times, a powerful and well-organized navy has been crucial for any country that fought for world domination and took care of its own security. Therefore, over the past 100 years different countries thousands of powerful battleships and aircraft carriers were built around the world. This review is about the largest warships in the world.
1. "Akagi"
Akagi is an aircraft carrier that was built for the Imperial Japanese Navy. It was in service from 1927 to 1942 and took part in the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. Then the Akagi was badly damaged during the Battle of Midway in June 1942, after which it was deliberately flooded. The length of the ship was 261.2 m.
2. "Yamato"
The Yamato-class battleships were built for the Imperial Japanese Navy and operated during World War II. As they displaced 73,000 tons, they were the heaviest battleships in history. The length of such a ship was 263 m. Although it was originally planned to build 5 ships of the Yamato class, only 3 were completed.
3. "Essex"
The backbone of the US Navy's combat power during World War II was the Essex-class aircraft carriers. Once upon a time there were 24 such ships, but today only 4 have survived, which are used as museum ships.
4. "Nimitz"
Nimitz-class supercarriers - 10 nuclear-powered aircraft carriers built for the US Navy. With a length of 333 m and a full load weight of more than 100,000 "long" tons, these vessels were the largest warships in history. The ships have participated in many battles and operations around the world, including Operation Eagle Claw in Iran, the Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan.
5. "Shinano"
The Shinano is a ship with a length of 266.1 m and a displacement of 65,800 tons, which was the largest aircraft carrier built for the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. However, as time was running out, the warship was sent into action without fixing several serious design and construction flaws. She ended up sinking just 10 days after she was commissioned on 29 November 1944.
6. Iowa
In 1939-1940, by order of the US Navy, 6 battleships of the Iowa class, but only 4 were ultimately completed. They saw action in several major American wars, including World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. The length of these battleships was 270 m, and the displacement was 45,000 "long" tons.
7. Lexington
Two Lexington-class aircraft carriers were built for the US Navy during the 1920s. The warships proved to be extremely successful and served in many battles. One of them, the Lexington, was sunk in the Battle of the Coral Sea in 1942, and the other, the Saratoga, was destroyed during a trial. atomic bomb in 1946.
8. Kyiv
Also known as "Project 1143 Krechet", the Kyiv-class aircraft carriers were the first aircraft-carrying anti-submarine cruisers built in the Soviet Union. Of the 4 Kyiv-class ships that were completed, 1 was decommissioned, 2 mothballed, and the last one (Admiral Gorshkov) was sold to the Indian Navy, where it is still in operation.
9. Queen Elizabeth
"Queen Elizabeth" - 2 aircraft carriers currently under construction for the British Royal navy. The first of these, the Queen Elizabeth, will be ready for use in 2017, while the second, the Prince of Wales, is scheduled for completion in 2020. The length of the ship is 284 meters, and the displacement is about 70,600 tons.
10. "Admiral Kuznetsov"
The Kuznetsov-class ships are the last 2 aircraft carriers built in the Soviet Navy. Today one of them, "Admiral Kuznetsov" (built in 1990) is in service Russian fleet, and the second, Liaoning, was sold to China and completed only in 2012. The length of the ship is a staggering 302 m.
11. "Midway"
The Midway-class aircraft carriers were among the longest serving aircraft carriers in history. The first of them entered service in 1945 and was decommissioned only in 1992, shortly after participating in Operation Desert Storm.
12. John F. Kennedy
Nicknamed "Big John", the USS John F. Kennedy is the only ship in its class. It was an aircraft carrier with a length of 320 m, which was even capable of effectively fighting submarines.
13. Forrestal
In the 1950s, 4 Forrestal-class aircraft carriers (Forrestal, Saratoga, Ranger and Independence) were designed and built for the US Navy. It was the first supercarrier to combine high tonnage, aircraft lifts and a corner deck. The length of the ships was 325 m, and the displacement was 60,000 tons.
14. "Gerald R. Ford"
The Gerald R. Ford are supercarriers being built to replace some of the existing Nimitz-class launch vehicles. Although the new ships have a hull similar to the Nimitz aircraft carriers, new technologies have been introduced into them, such as electromagnetic system aircraft launches, as well as other design features designed to improve efficiency and reduce operating costs. Also, the warships "Gerald R. Ford" will be slightly larger than the "Nimitz" (their length will be 337 m).
15. "USS Enterprise"
The world's first ship carrying aircraft nuclear weapons, Enterprise (342 m long) was the longest and perhaps also the most famous warship ever. She has been in service for 51 consecutive years, longer than any other American warship, and has been used in numerous battles and wars, including the Cuban Crisis, Vietnam War, the war in Korea, etc.
The U.S. Naval Research Division owns the most unusual ship in the world. This is an unusual oceanographic equipment in the form of a floating Flip platform. This platform was created at the Marine Research Laboratory in Oceanography at the University of California. Flip cannot be fully attributed to ships, but all researchers live and work on it in the open ocean for quite long periods of time. We can say that this is a huge specialized beacon that has amazing property- turn over (Flip - literally translated as "turn over"). 
The length of the ship is 108 meters. There are small narrow compartments along the entire length and a large hollow compartment at the end. While the long tanks are filled with air, the Flip is in a horizontal position, and when they are filled sea water, it is leveled like a float above the sea surface, which provides it with great stability during severe storms. When it is necessary to return to a horizontal position, the water is lowered and the vessel can be transported to a new location. 
The internal parts are arranged for two positions of the ship. For example, cabins have two doors, making it easy to move to a new position. Toilets and some elements in the kitchen are duplicated here. The duration of the entire flip process is 28 minutes, which is quite fast for such a huge ship. 
It is known from history that this ship-shifter was built 50 years ago, in 1962, by scientists Fred Fisher and Fred Spiess, who needed a quieter and more stable vessel to study the behavior of sound waves under water. 
The purpose of Flip was to study the height of the waves, acoustic signals, water temperature and its density. Everything is thought out in order to conduct these studies here: in order not to interfere with acoustic instruments, the ship has no engines, and it constantly needs to be towed to the research site, where it will be anchored. In an upright position, the ship becomes extremely stable and quiet.
