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The passenger ocean liner is, without question, the greatest of all man-made construction, especially as exhibited at the peak of its development from the 1930s onwards. They were as large then as any skyscraper or any of the world’s greatest railway stations. But unlike these edifices, locked to the earth, static upon their foundations, the passenger ocean liners, fitted with machinery as large as that of any power station, were powerful, mobile monuments of man’s engineering prowess. Cleaving the waves at anything up to 30 knots, they were the leviathans and monarchs of the oceans, and truly were floating cities. In the 19th and 20th century the ocean liner and their scheduled routes were a means of travel between countries. They enabled people for the first time to travel long distances between countries and continents on a regular basis. By the 1960s and 70s this role of the ocean liner had declined due to the advent of air travel. As a result in the late 20th century the ocean liner adapted for cruising and became the cruise liner. Now rather than being a means of travel cruise liners are a destination in themselves and have become floating resorts. In turn the ocean liner and cruise liners have sown the seed of the floating city concept. In the early 21st century we have seen the emergence of the first residential condominium ships. Thus marking the next stage in the continued evolution of the ocean passenger ship. The Birth of the Residential Condominium Ship:
M.S. The World (2002) - The World of
ResidenSea In 2002 The World was
launched by The World of Residensea as the world's first purpose built
residential condominium
ship. For the first time a cruise ship sailed the world's oceans with
an onboard residential community. Thus The World is one of the first
examples of this new development of a true residential condominium
ship, offering people the opportunity to either travelling on board
either as a traditional cruise guest or become a permanent ship
resident. The World has sparked a new generation of passenger ship
known as the "residential condominium ship" with on board ocean
residences.
The Concept of a Floating City Ship:
M.S. America World City - A Floating City
Ship concept put forward by World City Corporation The residential condominium
ship is perhaps a new phase in the development of the ocean passenger
ship. As shipbuilding technologies continue to advance perhaps one day
a true floating city ship will be created on a scale never seen before.
Already concepts for such floating city ships have been suggested
including America World City (proposed by the World City Corporation)
and the Freedom Ship (proposed by Freedom Ship International). Such
huge floating city ships would be too large to dock in the world's
ports and so would continuously circumnavigate the world with tenders
ferrying its residents to and from shore. Thus it would not be a cruise
ship but a true mobile floating city with luxurious ocean residences,
shopping centre and business premises. However as yet technology has
not permitted such concepts to become reality and it is possible that
such floating city ships are a distant possibility.
M.S. Freedom Ship - A Floating City Ship
concept put forward by Freedom Ship International. The ocean passenger liner has
come a long way since the 19th century when its scheduled ocean
services were a vital means of travel. In the 20th century the ocean
liner evolved into the cruise liner and became a floating resort, and
today in the early 21st century there is the new and exciting
development of the residential condominium ship. We may yet be a long
way from seeing the floating city ship concept becoming reality. But
one thing is certain the ocean passenger ship that had its origins in
the ocean liners of the 19th and 20th centuries will continue to evolve
and doubtless there will be many more exciting developments in the
future. Related Websites:
Residential Condominium Ships:
The World of ResidenSea -
operators of M.S. The World (2002)
Four Seasons Ocean Residences
- operators of the M.S. Four Seasons (2007)
The Orphalase Global
Strategies Inc. - operators of the M.S. The Orphalase (2008)
Residential Cruise Line -
operators of the M.S. Magellan (2010)
Floating City Ships:
America World City - (Floating City Ship concept put forward by the World City Corporation)
Freedom Ship - (Floating City Ship concept put forward by Freedom Ship International)
(c) The AJN Transport Britain Collection 2005 A TRANSPORT BRITAIN WEBSITE |
