The world’s largest cruise ship set off on Thursday from Saint-Nazaire, embarking on its first sea trial. How exciting! With just two months to go to delivery, the construction of Harmony of the Seas began in September 2013 and cost around $1.1bn.

Thousands of people gathered at the dock to watch the 120 000-tonne ship as it was assisted out to sea by six tugs. Of the 2 000 set crew, 500 were on board for the trial run, set to continue until Sunday. Visible from miles away, it reaches a height of 70m and stretches 362m with 16 decks. What even.

Three pilots, who have trained on a simulator in nearby Nantes for the past year, helped the captain in the tricky manoeuvres needed to guide the hulking ship out of the Saint-Nazaire estuary.

The tugs first helped the ship back out of its berth before turning it around and then guiding it out to the open sea.

The pilots will leave the vessel once it is 20km (12 miles) out at sea.

More than 6 000 passengers will be welcomed aboard the Harmony, but not before all the trials are done. The next one will take place at the end of April as delivery is set for 12 May.

[source: theguardian]