Ship Emma Maersk. Container ship "MAERSK" sailed along the Northern Sea Route

Actually, I came up a little late with this topic, because Emma Maersk has not been the world’s largest container ship for almost a year. Well, what can you do, it just never occurred to me before... Nevertheless, this is still a very interesting ship. The term “the very best” can be applied to almost everything related to Emma Maersk. Its dimensions, load capacity, architecture, power are impressive power plant and all sorts of technical things with which it is stuffed.
Unfortunately, I was unable to find any photographs taken by those who had the opportunity to work on this ship. And this is even strange. So what you will see is taken by me from various sources.
Actually, here is our hero, or rather heroine:

This is the lead ship in a series of eight identical container ships owned by the Danish A.P. Moller-Maersk Group, very well known in the business world under the simplified name Maersk. The campaign is best known in the shipping business, namely container shipping. In fact, Maersk is the world's largest container ship operator. In 2013 they operated over 600 ships with a total capacity of 3,800,000 TEU. Any sailor is familiar with steamships of a special blue color, with the inscription Maersk Line on board.

To begin with, what is TEU and why do you need to chase it? This term was coined when the general containerization in the field of freight transport began, and means twenty-foot equivalent unit. One TEU, let's say, hints to the capacity of a standard 20 foot long shipping container. The rest of their dimensions may vary slightly, but the height is usually 8.5 feet and the beam is 8. These are the dimensions that container ships are designed for, and their capacity is measured in TEU.
True, 20-foot containers very soon became too small, and 40- and 45-foot ones were put into use. Accordingly, one 40-foot container is equal to two TEU.

Why are they trying to increase the container capacity of ships? And the reason is very simple. The more containers you carry, the cheaper it costs to transport one container, which is very attractive to cargo owners. And if so, then all decent shipowners began to try to have large container ships in their fleet. Shipbuilders, naturally, readily responded to the requests of shipowners and began to build larger and larger container ships. Sizes grew quickly and by 2005 they approached 10,0000 TEU. And here the race stopped. Up to this point, the increase in container capacity has been very slow. the simple way- the length and width of the ship increased, as well as the number of containers that could be taken on deck. It was often possible to see container ships with 7 tiers of containers, from behind which the wheelhouse only slightly protruded. A further increase in size required significant changes in the design of the vessel.

Although development was underway. Opinions differed on exactly how to build. Some shipbuilders believed that the ULCS (Ultra Large Container Ship, as such monsters began to be called in advance) could not be built according to the traditional design - that is, with the superstructure slightly moved aft from the middle of the ship and with the engine room located directly below it. It was assumed that the power plant of such a vessel should consist of two engines with a power of 50-55 thousand hp each, otherwise there would be no way to achieve the required speed of 25 knots. At that time, it was believed that a self-respecting container ship of this size must sail the seas at exactly this speed, otherwise everyone would look at it as a misunderstanding. Who could have imagined that in just two years, the mood in the shipping world would change radically? Accordingly, it was proposed to move the superstructure of such a vessel to the bow, and the engine room to the stern. At the same time, this improved visibility from the bridge and reduced the length of the propeller shaft, which was also important, because it was supposed to transmit enormous power to the propeller. It was mentioned in passing that the crews would be in more comfortable conditions, since the source of noise and vibration would be almost 200 meters away from the living quarters.

Others stated that traditional architecture had not yet exhausted itself and that they even had finished projects, but there are no orders coming in.

And then thunder struck. There were rumors that Maersk was building something grandiose at its own shipyard in the city of Odense. And later photographs appeared, and it became clear that the rumors were true.

Maersk designers didn’t give a damn about everyone and went their own way. In the end this is what happened:

Isn’t it beautiful and sometimes even elegant? Dimensions of the newborn: length 397 m, width 56 m, draft when fully loaded 16 m. Capacity.... here's a little more about this, as there is some intrigue here.

As for capacity, the world shipping community has been enthusiastically speculating for several years. Maersk officially announced that this is 11,000 TEU. The public allowed itself to disbelieve - the dimensions of the ship suggested that 14,500 containers could easily fit there - an unprecedented figure at that time. And it’s quite possible that there will be more! The system for determining container capacity adopted by the Maersk campaign provided room for thought and calculations. When making calculations, they assume that all containers loaded on board will be evenly and equally loaded and the weight of the cargo in each will be exactly 14 tons. In general, this is standard seamanship. And if you look at the characteristics of container ships for fun, you will see a double figure: maximum TEU capacity and container capacity at 14 t. The first is usually 35-40% larger than the second. The container ship I'm on this moment I work, it has the following figures: maximum TEU capacity = 4250 and container capacity at 14 t = 2805. This is due to the fact that in real life a variety of containers are loaded onto a ship, both empty and loaded, and even overloaded, and it is quite difficult to take all this into account . Maximum capacity rather characterizes the volume of cargo space measured in containers: if they are all empty, then 4250 can be stuffed, and if they all weigh 14 tons, then only 2800, since the maximum carrying capacity will be selected. At the moment we are carrying only 3270 TEU, but the carrying capacity has already been selected at 95%.

And Maersk stubbornly continues to assume that all containers on ITS ships will weigh the standard 14 tons. Well, they have such a tradition, what can you do...

In general, everyone who was not too lazy began to divide and multiply, and it turned out that the real maximum TEU capacity should be close to 15,000 TEU. This was very impressive.

By the way, Maersk later admitted that the calculations were close to the truth - the real figure is 15,512 containers.

Next from the “very best” is the world’s most powerful main engine SULZER 14RT-96C-flex, made in Korea at the Doosan plant under license from Sulzer. It is simply deciphered: 14 cylinders with a diameter of 96 cm, and the prefix flex means that the engine belongs to the common rail family, that is, it does not have a camshaft. Its power is 80,080 kW, and it and its seven brothers will remain for a long time, if not forever, the most powerful single-engine propulsion system on a marine vessel. Here it is, still at the factory in Korea, assembled and ready for battle:

But that's not all. Calculations showed that it would still not be possible to achieve the required speed of 25 knots when fully loaded, despite the enormous power. Apparently, the contours of the ship's hull were given a shape that maximized the carrying capacity - but the streamlining suffered. Therefore, two Siemens electric motors of 9000 kW each were built into the propeller shaft line. This also makes “Emma” a unique vessel; there is certainly nothing like it anywhere else. To be more precise, shaft generators of this very design are quite common, but I have never heard of anything like this before when electric motors are built into the propeller shaft for the specific purpose of increasing the power transmitted to the propeller.

Look at the 120-meter-long line of the propeller shaft, and somewhere in the distance you can just barely see one of these electric motors:

,

Here it is closer:

Where to get electricity from? There is a power plant on board, consisting of 5 diesel generators of 4100 kW each and a turbogenerator with a capacity of 8500 kW. Let's take a closer look at the turbogenerator.

Although the main engine with electronically controlled injection (flex - no camshaft!) is more economical than an engine with a traditional system, we must not forget about the law of large numbers. It is economical in the sense specific fuel consumption - the value "grams per horsepower per hour" is 5-8% less than that of a conventional engine of traditional design. However, if we multiply grams by kilowatts and hours, we get a not at all small daily consumption of about 330 tons per day at full speed. Now let's multiply tons by dollars... let's say the cost of a ton of heavy fuel in Singapore is now 620 dollars... wow, almost 200 thousand dollar bills per day go down the drain! Maybe it’s better to heat them right away, it will be cheaper?

And hot gases resulting from the combustion of those same tons of fuel fly out into the chimney. And hot gas flying at high speed is energy. Those who build and design such engines have long known that the efficiency of such a colossus is a little more than 50%, and this is simply wonderful; designers and technologists have been working towards this figure for more than 100 years! And in the next 50 years it is unlikely that much more will be achieved. There is a struggle for every percentage.

Naturally, an idea arose a long time ago - why not use the energy of burnt gases? The idea came to life in the form of the so-called. "recovery boiler" - a boiler in which the energy from the exhaust gases of the main engine is used to produce steam. It was believed that if the main engine had a power of more than 10,000 kW, such a boiler would be able to produce enough steam to spin a turbogenerator. Thus, while underway, the ship could be supplied with electricity without wasting excess fuel, and diesel generators could be started only in the port. On container ships, however, such a system was not widespread, because their electricity needs were very large. After all, they began to transport not only ordinary containers, but also refrigerated ones, and each such reefer draws up to 7 kW from the ship’s network. But time passed, the design idea continued to work, new ideas, materials and technologies appeared. And so Sulzer proposed a WHS - Waste Heat Recovery system, which, they claimed, would allow up to 12% of the energy contained in combustible fuel to be reused.

Maersk became interested in this matter and tested the idea. In 2005, the same shipyard in Odense launched the 10,500 TEU Gudrun Maersk. There was a 12RT -96C -flex engine, similar to the one that was supposed to be installed on Emma, ​​only in a 12-cylinder version. Its power was 68,000 kW, and the WHS system supplied steam to a 6,000 kW turbogenerator. Tests showed that the system performed as Sulzer promised.

This is what it looks like in hardware:

Greater power can be obtained due to the fact that the generator is rotated by two turbines at once: steam and gas. The steam turbine is supplied with steam from a waste heat boiler of a special design, which has a high steam output, and the gas turbine is supplied with energy from the exhaust gases of the main engine.

The same system was installed on Emma. At the same time, this gave the owners the opportunity to claim that Emma is almost the most environmentally friendly ship in the world, because... exhaust gases fly out into the chimney for a reason, but do useful work along the way. However, it has already become fashionable to fight for the environment, so let’s leave this statement without comment...

The ship was launched with great fanfare. Yes, it is understandable, such an event does not happen every day or even every decade... The desire of Maersk Line to speak about Emma only in enthusiastic tones is also understandable. Everything that concerns it has the prefix “the very best”. The longest ship, the most powerful engine, the heaviest anchor, the largest propeller...
However, Maersk sometimes overplays its hand in its advertising. For example, Maersk claims that Emma's crew is only 13 people! Well, here I allow myself to doubt. The number of “13 people” is most likely indicated in the so-called Minimum Safe Manning - a document issued by the maritime administration of the state whose flag the ship is flying. And this only means that the Danish Maritime Authority believes and admits that 13 people can ensure the safe operation, navigation and other vital functions of the vessel. Let's leave this statement (or misconception) on their conscience and let's figure it out. The captain on such a ship is unlikely to keep a watch on the bridge, which means three officers are needed (chief, 2-1 and 3) to ensure a normal round-the-clock watch "4 through 8". The SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) requirements are in no way to get around, which means at least 4 more sailors are needed to ensure the lookout's watch. We need a cook - the crew won’t cook their own food! And a steward is needed - he not only sets the table and washes the dishes, but also performs all sorts of “household duties”, such as washing clothes. And now we have 10 people. This means that there are only three left for the entire machine team. I seriously doubt that they can cope with the maintenance of everything that is fancy there. True, Maersk states that their navigators have dual certificates, navigator/mechanic, and therefore can perform work in the MKO. Well, let's imagine that the chief officer stood watch on the bridge from 04 to 08 hours. After breakfast, he goes to do his immediate business on deck - for example, checking the fastenings of containers, which he is obliged to do every day. This will take him at least until lunch. After lunch, he can go with renewed vigor to tighten the nuts in the engine room. After that, he will just have time to go to the shower, and then there will be another watch on the bridge from 16 to 20. Something is hard to believe. Although, guess what, here are stills from the video "Discovery Channel - Mighty Ships". showing Emma's flight from Singapore to Europe. The crew gathered for lunch. There are 8 people sitting at one table, and another one, apparently, was not included in the frame - see, there is a full plate on the near edge of the table?

There are 11 people at the second table, with the cook and steward remaining behind the scenes. And someone else must be on watch on the bridge, because the action takes place in the ocean. In total we get at least 23 people - this no longer seems to be true.

And in general, not everything was so rosy. Troubles began during the construction process. The unfinished Emma was badly damaged by the fire. Due to careless welding work, the entire superstructure burned out:

As a result of the fire and subsequent firefighting, all the equipment that had been installed was destroyed. After that, the superstructure was simply cut off and a new one was ordered, and the damaged one was sold as scrap metal. The delay in leaving the factory was 6 weeks.

During the first year of service, Emma and her subsequent three sisters experienced problems with the propeller shaft bearings. Transferring 109 thousand horses along a 120-meter long shaft, which is also subject to vibration and bending, apparently was not so easy. I personally saw her in 2007 in Hong Kong, standing at the pier in a completely unloaded state. The pilot let it slip that due to problems with the bearings, it was temporarily removed from the line and a team of factory specialists is now working there. True, when a week later we went to Hong Kong again, it was no longer there, and on the second series of ships (a total of 8 ships were built) the problem had already been solved.

And the strongest blow to Emma, ​​or rather to the concept of the giant ship from which she was born, was dealt by the world economy. Namely economic crisis 2008 and the sharp rise in fuel prices that followed. In 2006, the year Emma was launched, the maximum price of IFO 380 marine fuel was 360 dl per ton, and in July 2008 it was already $760! More than double the jump! According to established rules, fuel is paid for by the charterer of the vessel, and not by the shipowner, and many have become unaffordable. Container ships, with their powerful propulsion systems designed for high speeds, became the first victims. Shipowners were often forced to take ships out of service and put them in the so-called. lay -up for an indefinite period of time. Countries such as Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines even began to develop an unusual type of business - offering convenient anchorages for such vessels. It was considered lucky to charter a ship simply at cost. I myself worked on such a ship in 2008; it earned $5,000 a day and spent exactly the same amount. We were told to forget about supply requests. They sent only those things without which it was impossible to go on a flight.

Fuel prices have fallen since then, but remain stable above $600 per ton. Fuel was already the biggest expense item, but now it has become completely unbearable for many. And then shipowners and charterers jointly came up with the concept of “slow steaming” - the operation of ships at a reduced speed. Thanks to the tricky relationship "speed is proportional to power to the third power" It becomes possible to reduce the main power by half, while the speed will drop by only 20%. Engines, however, do not perform very well in this load range, so manufacturers - Sulzer, MAN, etc. - had to meet halfway and develop a number of measures. I won’t dwell on this in detail, this is a very broad topic...

So Emma and her sisters had to curb their appetites. In the schedule available on the Maersk website, you can see that Emma must reach the Suez Canal from the port of Tanjung Pelepas (Malaysia) in 12 days. At a distance of nearly 5,000 miles, this gives us an average speed of 17 knots, meaning these giants are now traveling at about 70% of their maximum speed. Thanks to the above relationship, it is clear that Emma is now using 35% of her 108 thousand horsepower. This is good, but the question arises - how does its installation for recycling exhaust gas energy work with such low power? After all, the ship's owners advertised it as reducing fuel consumption and significantly (by several times!) reducing the emission of harmful gases into the atmosphere. Fuel consumption did decrease, but for a completely different reason. The amount of these same gases has also decreased, and it is quite possible that they are no longer enough to operate the WHS system to the extent that Maersk was so proud of. This means that the money invested in additional equipment is not returned... Well, okay, it’s not our money.

And in February of this year, 2013, Emma was subjected to a new test: the engine room was flooded at the entrance to the Suez Canal, as a result Emma lost speed and almost clogged this important water artery. It’s hard to believe what happened: the propeller blade of one of the thrusters* came off and made such a hole in the hull that water flowed in at a speed of 1.5 m3/sec! The accident developed unusually quickly. The chronology can be seen from the picture taken from the Maersk campaign magazine:

At 21:33, the emergency alarm about the flow of water into the engine room went off, at 22:40 the main engine stopped, and at 23:45 the ship was left without electricity. By this time, Emma, ​​with the help of tugboats, had almost reached the berth of the container terminal.

*A thruster is, simply put, a sealed tube across the hull of a boat in which a controlled-pitch propeller driven by an electric motor is installed. The propeller sucks water from one side of the vessel and pumps it to the other side, creating a powerful lateral moment, which greatly helps with maneuvering, and changing the pitch of the propeller allows you to adjust the strength and direction of the thrust. There are four such devices on Emma - two in the bow and two in the stern.

Water continued to flow until its level in the MKO was equal to the level of water overboard. The result was 16 meters. While Emma was standing at the pier, all the cargo was removed from her and the hole was temporarily repaired, and then she was towed to Palermo. Moreover, the water from the engine room has not yet been pumped out, otherwise, when combined with oxygen, all structures and mechanisms would quickly begin to rust. Pumping out the water and simultaneous processing of the mechanisms took more than a month. Emma returned to duty in mid-July, which should be considered a very good result.

I could not find any photographs about this event, except for a general view of the ship at the pier. Apparently Maersk manages to control extremely tightly not only the press, but even the Internet.

As expected, Maersk Line and this extraordinary event were used to their advantage - like, these are the heroic people who work for us. Of course, we must pay tribute to the crew and especially the captain, who managed to remove the wounded ship from the caravan route and moor it when it was practically uncontrollable. However, questions arise. The propeller shaft compartment, where the thruster pipes pass, must be separated from the engine room by a watertight bulkhead, and therefore it is not entirely clear how water flooded not only this compartment, but also the engine room. Was the hole really that big? Or was the watertight door not closed at the time of the accident, and then this was a crew error? Or the waterproof bulkhead is completely permeable, and then this is a mistake by the designers and builders. Who are our designers? Fairplay Solution magazine says the vessel was designed by Maersk Line in collaboration with Maersk Ship Design and Odense Steel Shipyard, all divisions of AP Moller. This issue is already being raised in the press, but Maersk is keeping silent for now.

Well, let's wish Emma good luck.

Today, ninety-five percent of all cargo is carried by sea. Container ships are relatively young types of ships. With an average age of 10 years, " Emma Maersk"considered the youngest among the rest container ships of such a type.

Emma Maersk - a true modern miracle. It is the longest container ship currently in service and is powered by the largest diesel engine ever produced.

Emma Maersk is the first E-class container ship out of 8 owned by A.P. Moller-Maersk Group. When launched in 2006, Emma Maersk was the largest container ship ever built. In 2010, the ship and 7 other ships in the series became the longest container ships ever built in the world and the longest ships in use at that time, after the world's largest ship, the Seawise Giant, was permanently docked in 2004 , was scrapped in 2010.

Officially, Emma Maersk can carry up to 11,000 TEU or 14,770 TEU depending on the load capacity determination method. Maersk initially reported the vessel's cargo capacity at 11,000 TEU, according to the company's own method of calculating cargo capacity at the time, which was 1,400 more containers than any other vessel when the vessel was put into service. However, the company also admits that using the standard method of calculating capacity, Emma Maersk can take on board up to 14,770 TEU.

In normal calculations, Emma Maersk has a significantly higher carrying capacity than these figures, from 13,500 to 15,200 TEU. The difference arises because Maersk's official figures are based on the weight of containers, while other companies estimate a ship's capacity based on the maximum number of containers that can be carried on board, regardless of their weight. This number is always higher than Maersk's estimates.

According to AP Moller, the company that owns Maersk Lines, a typical 20-foot container can hold an average of 48,000 bananas. Therefore, in theory, Emma Maersk could carry about 528 million bananas - enough to give every person in Europe or North America banana for breakfast.

Container ship « Emma Maersk"became the first ship of a new series of large-capacity vessels with a highly automated control system. It is equipped with modern computer systems to ensure efficient functioning. General interior cargo ship made from the highest quality materials. Appearance ship is a design characteristic of container ships which are being built at the shipyard " Odense Steel Shipyard Ltd».

Container ship « Emma Maersk"was named" Vessel of the Year"at the presentation in 2007 in London, organized by the popular magazine in Europe " Lloyd's List" The creators, during the construction of this transport vessel, set new standards in protection environment and safety, as well as efficiency, which is so important when transporting various cargoes. These include an exhaust gas recirculation system, which made it possible to reduce the emission of harmful substances into the atmosphere and, as a result, the power of the power plant increased and fuel consumption decreased. Another innovation was the housing vessel treated with a special silicone coating, which led to an unexpected result - by reducing water resistance, fuel costs decreased by 1200 tons per year.

A cargo ship can take 13,500 containers, instead of the planned 11,000. This is possible thanks to its excellent seaworthiness and 22 sections on board. Container ship Always welcome guest in the ports of Bremerhaven, Rotterdam, Los Angeles, Gottenburg, Argus, Ningbo, Xiamen and Tanjung Pelepas.

After completion of construction, the ship set off on its first voyage.

The ship was solemnly presented at a ceremony on August 12, 2006. Emma Maersk got its name from Emma, ​​the wife of Maersk McKinney Moller. The ship set off on its maiden voyage on September 8, 2006 at 2:00 a.m. from Aarhus with calls at Gothenburg, Bremerhaven, Rotterdam, Algericas, and the Suez Canal and arrived in Singapore on October 1, 2006 at 8:05 p.m.

The ship appeared in the news before Christmas 2006, called the SS Santa, as the ship was heading from China to the UK with a cargo of gifts for the holiday. On its return voyage after Christmas 2006, the ship returned to southern China with a cargo of waste from the UK destined for recycling.

Environmental safety is achieved on the ship thanks to a heat capture system, which helps save up to 10% of energy. But more importantly, because the ship is three times the size of any container ship that has sailed through the Panama Canal, the number of small ships it could displace would produce far more emissions than a single large ship.

Despite this, the Emma Maersk and others like it have been criticized for burning bunker fuel, which has a high sulfur content. The sulfur content in ship fuel is 2.5-4.5%, which is 2000 times higher than what is allowed in automobile fuel.

By the way, despite its gigantic size, the ship’s crew is only 13 people.

» is possible with twenty giant cranes at the same time. On average container ship thousand can be installed twenty foot containers, the capacity of a cargo ship " Emma Maersk» is 13,500 TEU (twenty foot equivalent). This is almost 4,000 containers more than the previous leader, Xin Shanghai. Average cost of a vessel with a capacity of 4000 TEU is 61 million dollars, 8000 TEU - 116 million dollars.

Container ship « Emma Maersk"Impressive. This the largest container ship in the world. Every immersed sea ​​container the size of a trailer. There are fewer containers on the deck of a cargo ship; most of them are located in the hold. If you download everything sea ​​containers from deck container ship, then it could fit two space shuttles. Proper loading is an art for everything from toys to cars.

There are basic rules for handling cargo: to ship remained stable the heaviest sea ​​containers placed down; dangerous goods and flammable mixtures are on deck, since no one wants an explosion in the hold. If more than seven rows of sea containers are placed in front of the navigation bridge, then the captain container ship, will not see anything. Too many or few containers in the center will affect the draft of the cargo ship. All these rules apply before the start of sailing. Rough seas, changeable currents and winds, all these factors make shipping containers a dangerous business with the possibility of colossal losses. You always need to adhere to a busy schedule and certain rules.

Container ship « Emma Maersk» the vessel is quite wide and when approaching the port, launching and stowing a multi-ton cargo ship becomes not an easy task. Imagine having to manage container ship, the length of which is four football fields.

But when Emma Maersk"moored, the squadron of equipment begins its work - unloading the necessary sea ​​containers. They have several hours at their disposal. And in the Rotterdam container terminal, containers are unloaded using high-tech machines. In order for the ship to continue its journey, the “metal servants” must unload the cargo with lightning speed. Each cargo crane can lift up to 40 tons. A class "class" transport awaits below. AGV» for a sea container. This is an automatically controlled vehicle without a driver. Control occurs from a screened mesh road. Some sea ​​containers heading to their final destination. Other containers are scanned for contraband, which is 25 times faster than a regular scanner.

Soon the deck Emma Maersk» will be filled with all kinds of goods and cruise continue. After some time, the goods transported the biggestby ship, will end up in stores on three continents.

In June 2006, during the final phase of construction, a fire started in the superstructure. The fire broke out on the multi-million dollar bridge during welding work. Flames engulfed the ship from the bridge, the living quarters caught fire, and the fire could be seen for many miles.

The loss of a vessel of this size can be compared to a fire in a large residential area. Having avoided almost complete destruction, which was made possible thanks to the prompt intervention of firefighters, Emma Maersk was completely restored in record time. The delivery of the vessel was delayed by 6-7 weeks.

Technical data of the container ship« Emma Maersk»:
Length - 396.8 m;
Width - 56 m;
Draft - 13.7 m;
Displacement - 170800 tons;
Deadweight - 156907 tons;

Marine propulsion system- 14 cylinder diesel engine type " Wartsila RT-Flex»;
Power - 110,000 hp;
Speed ​​- 25.6 knots;

To see how such ships are built, you can purchase tours to China and in the shipyards of this country you will see more than a dozen of these huge ships. It would seem that! From toasters and hair dryers - to modern technology!

By the way, the chairman of the Kazakhstan Association of Oil, Gas and Energy Complex Organizations "KAZENERGY" - Kulibayev, spoke very well about these vessels.

The most powerful, largest in size and most expensive diesel engine Wartsila-Sulzer RTA96-C is designed for large ships, in particular for the container ship Emma Maersk.

The Wärtsilä-Sulzer RTA96-C is the largest internal combustion engine ever built by man. It is a 14-cylinder, 2-stroke turbocharged diesel engine that was specially developed for the container ship Emma Maersk, owned by the Danish company Maersk.

In September 2006, manufacturing and testing of the engine was successfully completed and it was installed on the container ship Emma Maersk. By 2009, only 9 ships of a similar series with similar engines were manufactured.

Some of the exhaust gases are returned to the engine, which helps save fuel and reduce emissions, and some is passed through a steam generator, which then powers the Dresser-Rand steam turbine and electric generators that produce electricity. This produces 8.5 MW of electricity, equivalent to 12% of the main engine's power. Some of this steam is also used directly to heat the ship. 5 diesel generators can produce up to 20.8 MW, for a total of 29 MW. Two 9MW electric motors also power the main propeller shaft.

Two bow and stern thrusters provide maneuverability, and two pairs of stabilizers reduce pitching.

Instead of biocides, which are used in the industry, a special silicone-based paint is used to prevent body fouling. This improves the vessel's efficiency by reducing drag and also protects the ocean from possible biocide leakage. The silicone paint covering the underwater part of the hull is characterized by the ability to reduce water resistance, which allows saving up to 1,200 tons of fuel per year. The vessel is also equipped with a bulb bow, a standard feature on all cargo ships.

The turning diameter of the vessel at a speed of 24 knots is 1.5 km. The engine is centrally located to take full advantage of hull rigidity and maximize payload capacity. With a roll of 20 degrees, the bridge deviates by 35 m.

Characteristics of the 14-cylinder engine:
- Weight: 2300 tons
- Length: 27 meters
- Height: 13.5 meters
- Engine capacity: 25,480 liters
- Maximum power: 108,920 hp. at 102 rpm.
- Fuel consumption: 6.142 liters per hour (according to some sources, for some reason, 13,000 liters)

Fuel efficiency: more than 50% of fuel energy is converted into mechanical energy
By comparison, most cars have a fuel efficiency of 25-30%.

Some comparisons to understand engine power

The world's most powerful engine can provide electricity to a small city.
At 102 rpm, it produces 80 million watts of electricity. If the average household light bulb consumes 60 watts of power, 80 million watts of power is enough for 1.3 million lamps. If the average home had 6 light bulbs on at the same time, the motor would produce enough electricity to light 220,000 homes. This is enough to provide electricity to a city of 500,000 people.

The Wartsila-Sulzer RTA96 engine consumes 13,000 liters of fuel per hour. If a barrel of oil is equal to 158.76 liters, the largest engine in the world consumes 81.1 barrels of oil per hour. If the oil price is $84/barrel on world oil markets, then the fuel cost of 1 hour of engine operation will be $6800 per hour.

The big disadvantage of large ships like the Emma Maersk is the large amount of residual oil they consume. The heavy fuels on which the engine runs contain a high percentage of sulfur and, when burned, form sulfur dioxide, which pollutes the environment.

Here are the comparative proportions of ships of this class:


sources
http://www.112-odense.dk
http://www.robse.dk
http://mostinfo.su
http://www.maritime-zone.com
http://korabley.net