See the interior of a 958-foot freighter and the living quarters of its crew

• A merchant marine captured life at sea during a video tour of a Maersk freighter.
• The video shows the technology that helps guide the ship, as well as the crew’s living quarters.
• The second, Bryan Boyle, said his job has allowed him to explore many destinations.

A merchant navy toured a 958-foot freighter that showed the intricacies of the large freighters that carry 90% of the world’s goods.

In the video, Second Officer Bryan Boyle records the vast array of mechanisms that keep the ship in motion, as well as the living quarters of the crew and officers on the Maersk ship, which was manufactured in 2006.

Although the video was taken in 2019, Boyle told Insider it provided a glimpse into the lives of maritime crews today as hundreds of freighters wait to dock in U.S. ports.

During the ship’s voyage, it departs from Norfolk, Virginia, making several stops in the United States before departing for Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands, to name a few.

“I have had the opportunity to work on some interesting ships,” Boyle told Insider. “I’ve been to places the average person wouldn’t even know. It’s one of the most engaging parts of the job.”

Boyle said it was exciting to arrive in new destinations, remembering that he spent more than a month in Africa on a single trip. However, the time available for crews to explore new destinations has diminished over the years, he said, as ships rush to get in and out of ports as quickly as possible and the first COVID-restrictions 19 set limits on crew excursions.

The video shows Boyle’s living quarters, as well as a movie locker that contains hundreds of titles.

Entertainment options for the 20-25 person ship’s crew are limited on freighters. Boyle said workers’ leave can include a mix of movies and games, as well as gym time.

The video shows the Officers Lounge, which has a ping-pong table and TV, as well as the General Crew Lounge, which has a poker table. Boyle explained that during the pandemic, the crew were even more limited in what activities they could carry on on board.

“Many ships weren’t allowed to eat with their teammates or go to the gym,” Boyle told Insider. “You were only allowed in your bedroom or workspace.”

Take a look at a view of the crew dining room below.

The video also highlights the mix of old and new technology that helps keep the supply chain moving, pairing engine control rooms that appear to belong to a spaceship with a huge gyro compass.

The navigation bridge also offers a breathtaking view of the waters up front and functions as a space where the captain and officers can manage all of the ship’s operations.

The vessel has a huge gyro compass which helps guide its course.

The first airworthy gyro compass was produced in 1908. It functions as a type of non-magnetic compass that uses a rapidly spinning disc and the rotation of the Earth to find geographic direction.

The video shows the engine room and the massive combustion engine that helps propel an equally giant propeller.

Boyle also takes viewers on a tour of the exterior of the ship, labeling individual parts of the ship and even touring the ship’s lifeboat.

The video ends by showing how the ship arrives at a dock in Germany.

Massive cranes unload 20-foot containers from the ship. More and more cranes are gradually reloading fresh containers before the Maersk Ohio ship returns to Norfolk, Virginia.

Watch Boyle’s full video on YouTube.

Do you work at sea? Contact the reporter from a non-professional email at [email protected]