The Seawise Giant, the largest ship ever constructed, concluded its extraordinary journey at the Alang Ship Breaking Yard in Gujarat, India, in 2010. Spanning over three decades, the vessel’s history is marked by multiple name changes, ownerships, and a remarkable resilience that saw it survive a wartime attack.
Originally ordered by a Greek tycoon in 1974, the ship was built by Sumitomo Heavy Industries in Japan and completed in 1979. However, the original buyer declined delivery due to issues encountered during sea trials. Subsequently, Hong Kong shipping magnate C.Y. Tung acquired the vessel, enhancing its capacity by over 140,000 tonnes and renaming it Seawise Giant—a play on his initials.
Measuring 458.45 meters in length and boasting a deadweight tonnage of 564,763 tonnes, the Seawise Giant was unparalleled in size. Its immense dimensions rendered it incapable of navigating major canals like the Suez and Panama. Primarily used to transport crude oil between the Middle East and the United States, the ship’s vastness also posed maneuvering challenges, requiring over five miles to come to a complete stop from its top speed of 16.5 knots.
In May 1988, during the Iran-Iraq War, the Seawise Giant was attacked by the Iraqi Air Force while anchored off Larak Island, Iran. Struck by two missiles, the vessel suffered extensive damage and was declared a constructive total loss.Nevertheless, it was salvaged and underwent significant repairs at the Keppel Shipyard in Singapore. Reentering service in 1991 as the Happy Giant, it was later renamed Jahre Viking under new ownership.
In 2004, the ship was converted into a floating storage and offloading unit (FSO) and renamed Knock Nevis, serving at the Al Shaheen oil field in Qatar. Five years later, it was sold to Indian shipbreakers, rechristened Mont, and embarked on its final voyage to Alang, Gujarat. Beached in December 2009, the dismantling process concluded by the end of 2010.Notably, the ship’s 36-tonne anchor was preserved and donated to the Hong Kong Maritime Museum.
The Seawise Giant’s legacy endures as a testament to maritime engineering and resilience, marking a significant chapter in nautical history.
