Apung 1, Museum ship in Punge Blang Cut, Banda Aceh, Indonesia.
Apung 1 is a 63-metre, 2,600-ton former diesel power-generating barge stranded on dry land in Punge Blang Cut, Banda Aceh. Its weathered white superstructure carries a square sign with a red lightning bolt in a yellow circle above the letters "W.K.B"; two blue cylindrical tanks, a black smokestack and small flagpoles stand on top. The rust-red lower hull is extensively corroded, and a metal staircase leads from the deck to the ground.
During the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, massive waves tore this power barge from its coastal mooring and carried it about three kilometers inland. The vessel eventually came to rest where it now stands, becoming a landmark of that day's events.
The barge is now the Museum PLTD Apung, managed by Indonesia's Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources. Its 10.5-megawatt diesel generators were removed in 2010, so visitors climb aboard an emptied hull. The surrounding grounds hold two towers, a monument, a walkway and a fountain added in the 2012–2013 renovation.
The barge is open for visitors to walk through all decks and interior spaces on their own. Sturdy walking shoes are helpful when exploring the ship's corridors and climbing between levels.
The barge rests exactly where the tsunami waves deposited it, showing visitors the incredible distance the water carried it from the coast. Standing at this spot helps people grasp how powerful those waves truly were.
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