When you consider the largest ships traversing our seas—mega container carriers, cruise liners, massive tankers—one element makes it all possible: colossal ship propellers. These engineering marvels, sometimes over 10 meters across and weighing over 100 tons, convert engine power into the thrust needed to push these giants through water. Here’s a dive into the world’s largest propellers powering ten of the mightiest vessels afloat:
1. Emma Maersk
Constructed by Mecklenburger Metallguss in Germany, Emma Maersk’s six‑blade propeller spans approximately 10.3 meters in diameter and weighs around 113 tons, making it one of the largest in service . Coupled with its 80,000+ kW main engine, this prop delivers enough thrust to sustain speeds of about 27 knots for this 397‑meter long container ship .
2. MSC Oscar & MSC Maya
Each of these 395‑meter container giants uses a five‑blade fixed‑pitch propeller measuring roughly 10.5 meters across. They are driven by powerful MAN B&W 11S90ME‑C engines producing around 56–67 MW, enabling cruising speeds of 22.8 knots. The propellers support the immense push needed to move nearly 20,000 TEU of cargo .
3. MV Barzan
This UASC super‑container vessel, built by Hyundai, carries a 10.4‑meter diameter, five‑blade bronze propeller weighing approximately 110 tons, matching its engine’s massive thrust output .
4. MOL Triumph
Built by Samsung for Japan’s MOL fleet in 2017, this ultra‑large container ship boasts a 10‑meter propeller engineered for fuel efficiency and designed to sustain speeds up to 24 knots .
5. Hamburg Express
A prominent member of Hapag‑Lloyd’s fleet, it uses a 9.1‑meter, six‑blade propeller weighing about 101.5 tons supplied by Stone Marine Propulsion or similar specialist foundries .
6. Oasis‑Class Cruise Ships
Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas each feature massive 20‑foot (6 m) azipod thrusters—computing as propeller pods rather than traditional shafted props. Along with bow thrusters, these enable precise maneuverability for vessels carrying nearly 7,000 passengers .
7. Queen Elizabeth 2 & QE‑Class Liners
The legendary QE2 was equipped with two 22‑ft, 43‑ton brass- or bronze-based propellers. Its successor, Queen Mary 2, carries even larger spares—underscoring cruise ship demands .
8. Titanic
The historic Titanic was powered by three bronze propellers: two outer ones weighing 38 tons each and a smaller 17‑ton center prop. A dramatic centerpiece, even by today’s measure .
9. RVIB Palmer (Icebreaker)
Designed for polar expeditions, the Palmer uses chunky bronze props tailored to withstand impacts with ice; they work alongside ice‑knife mechanisms to avoid hull damage .
10. Modern Ore Carriers (Valemax & Sankt‑Peterburg)
Valemax super‑ore carriers and icebreaking vessels like Sankt-Peterburg rely on 10‑meter fixed-pitch props, driven by tailor‑made 30 MW diesel engines, meeting both freight demands and extreme-ice operational needs .
🔍 Interesting Fact
The largest fixed-pitch propeller ever crafted weighed in at approximately 131 tons, built for Emma Maersk—illustrating the massive scale of marine propulsion technology .
