Shipping goods from China to the U.S. is big business. And when we say big, we’re talking 1,300-foot-long ships that weigh 170,974 tons. The cargo ships in question can carry 11,000 20-foot shipping containers at a breakneck speed of 31 knots.

@Funk Flex

That’s a lot more oomph than the typical 20-knot cruiser, and the reason for the extra push is the world’s largest diesel engine. The 109,000-horsepower Wärtsilä-Sulzer RTA96-C, which first set sail in the Emma Mærsk in 2006, weighs in at a rotund 2,300 tons, and it’s 44-feet tall and 90-feet long. In other words, the TRA96 is the height of a four-story building, and longer than a Christmas Eve line at Sam’s Club. Within that massive exterior rests 14 cylinders that each consume 6.5-ounces of diesel fuel every cycle. And, if you like torque, there’s enough twist to rip an M1 tank to shreds, though the massive mill churns at only 102 rpm.
Full Story/Pics: Autoblog