Princess Taiping, Museum ship in Keelung, Taiwan.
Princess Taiping is a museum ship in Keelung and a replica of Ming Dynasty warships, approximately 54 feet long and 45 feet wide. It features three cotton sails for traditional wind-powered navigation and displays the classical design elements of these historical vessels.
The ship was designed as a recreation of Ming Dynasty warships and in 2008 undertook a Pacific expedition that sailed through California, Hawaii, and Japan. This voyage ended tragically in 2009 when it collided with a chemical tanker near Su Ao Harbor.
The ship demonstrates traditional Chinese shipbuilding techniques without modern fasteners, preserving construction methods that were practiced during the Ming Dynasty. Visitors can observe these building methods firsthand and see how such vessels were assembled by skilled craftspeople.
The ship can be visited at Keelung Harbor and displays in detail the wooden construction and navigation equipment from before modern technologies. Visitors should allow time to explore the different decks and structures while appreciating the craftsmanship involved.
The ship was part of an ambitious attempt to repeat ancient maritime routes using replicated Ming technology and prove that such vessels could handle trans-ocean voyages. The accident occurred only a few kilometers from the intended destination harbor where the journey was meant to conclude.
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