Travelling at up to 23 - 30 knots, fast
ships are especially vulnerable to waves that amplify suddenly due to local weather and sea conditions — extreme funnelling effects, for example, may turn waves a few
metres high into dangerous waves tens of
metres tall that can destabilise
ships, resulting in damage, causing injuries and threatening lives.
The container
ships, the largest of any vessels in use, stretch 400
metres (m) long, 59 m wide and 73 m
tall.