Largest ‘floating city’ to carry 80K people and circle the globe | World | News

A futuristic proposal for a mile-long floating city that could accommodate tens of thousands of people has been revived, with supporters claiming it could circumnavigate the world every two years.

Known as the Liberty Ship, the concept envisions a massive ship that would dwarf today’s cruise ships and operate as a constantly moving city at sea.

Designs for the ship describe a structure approximately 1 mile long and 800 feet wide, 30 decks high and costing an estimated £12 billion to build.

It is planned to transport up to 80,000 people in total, including approximately 50,000 permanent residents, 10,000 visitors and 20,000 crew members.

The ship will function as a fully independent city, with schools, healthcare, housing, retail and entertainment facilities spread across multiple decks.

What would life be like on the Liberty Ship?

The plans include a wide range of amenities more commonly found on land.

These include hotels, restaurants, shops, financial services, museums, symphony hall and water park.

A 15,000-seat sports stadium is also proposed, along with a convention center, aquarium, nightclub and two-story food hall.

Children will be educated from primary school to university level, while commercial zones will host banks and retail businesses.

Eight helipads were also included in the design.

How would the Liberty Ship actually move?

Developers say the ship will continuously circle the world at a speed of around seven knots, completing a global tour approximately every two years, the Daily Telegraph reports.

Due to its size, it will not dock in any traditional ports and will instead remain in international waters.

Passengers and supplies will be transferred using ferries and visiting ships, and other cruise ships could potentially dock as well.

The concept was first developed in the 1990s by American engineer Norman Nixon, who died in 2012.

It was revived and scrapped several times over the past three decades before resurfacing under the leadership of Freedom Cruise Line International’s Roger Gooch.

Gooch said a team of 12 people are currently working on the project and interest is strong, but significant funding is still needed.

“We can justify building almost three ships,” he said.

But he acknowledged that raising capital remains the biggest hurdle.

“We’re very confident that we can put this together, but capitalization is very important,” he added.

Where will the Liberty Ship be built?

If financing is provided, construction in Indonesia will begin from the hull.

The structure will be built in sections before being assembled offshore.

Developers estimate construction could take three to four years, with some residents moving aboard before completion.

The maintenance will reportedly be carried out while the ship is at sea, constantly traveling rather than operating from a fixed port.

How would the Liberty Ship make money?

The business model is based on renting commercial space to external operators, similar to a city on land.

Retailers, restaurants and service providers will rent the units, while the operating company will retain stakes in certain ventures, such as casinos.

Developers also say medical and research organizations have expressed interest in using the facilities onboard.

One of the most ambitious proposals is a major hospital and research centre; Its supporters argue that the ship can operate beyond certain regulatory restrictions.

Supporters say the ship would have environmental benefits, including reducing emissions from nuclear power.

They also claim that it can help clean the oceans while traveling.

But instead of sailing through smaller ports, the ship would remain offshore and visitors would ferry out to experience its offshore facilities.

The concept was shaped by Kevin Schopfer, an architect specializing in arcology combining architectural and ecological design.

Earlier versions included floating city concepts with large green spaces and walkable zones designed to cope with rising sea levels.

Plans for entertainment areas, including sports fields and event spaces, were also discussed, with developers joking that even big artists would find it difficult to find space due to the scale.