World's Greatest Ships

This is the story of how a humble coal vessel became one of Britain’s greatest ships. Capable of battling stormy seas, the ship carried the historic missions of Captain James Cook to explore the South Pacific. The endeavour literally sailed off the map.

The most famous ship in the world, the Titanic, was a marvel of engineering based on revolutionary new capabilities. It was said to be unsinkable. And yet, her maiden voyage become the most famous maritime disaster in history.

This humble British merchant ship carried one of history’s most important voyages. It was hired by a group of religious dissidents to transport them to a new life of freedom in the New World.

The world’s first purpose-built scientific vessel, her bold journey to the most inhospitable continent on the planet, Antarctica, propelled Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton into the ranks of the world’s most famous explorers.

This famous ocean liner serves as a staggering monument to British nautical engineering. Scaling the funnel and delving deep into the engine room, host Rob Bell finds out how the largest ship of her day could also become the fastest, even to this day.

The Ark Royal was World War II’s most famous aircraft carrier. Her survival in the face of Nazi Luftwaffe bombing raids and U-boat attacks was a testament to her ingenious design and courageous crew.