5 of the Fastest Ships to Set Sail

June 20 is the first day of summer, and as the vacation season kicks off, the water is calling to many. But for all the possible ways to traverse the seas, some prefer the slow route while others are looking for something a bit more record-setting. 

Boats have evolved greatly over human history, perhaps even more so over the last century. From rowboats to cutter ships to aircraft carriers, the sizes and capabilities of water-bound vessels continue to multiply. Here’s a quick look at five of the fastest ships of their type.  
 

Fastest ferry: HSC Francisco 

Capable of moving about 1,000 people and 150 cars at a time, this jet-powered catamaran can reach a max speed of 58.1 knots thanks to its two GE LM2500 gas turbine jet engines. Each engine generates 59,000 horsepower for the ship's two Wartsila LJX 1720 SR axial waterjets. It's also equipped with an advanced propulsion control system, Lipstronic 7000. 

The HSC Francisco (named after Pope Francis) follows a 140-mile route that travels from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Montevideo, Uruguay. 

Francisco has four levels and is 325 ft long, with a gross tonnage of 7,109. Australian shipbuilder Incat Tasmania Pty Ltd. built the vessel in 2013 for Argentina-based Buquebus. 
 

Fastest cruise ship: SS United States 

There was a time when a cruise ship wasn’t designed for meandering through scenic waters but rather transporting people and goods across oceans as fast as possible. In 1951, the 990-ft-long SS United States averaged a speed of 34.51 knots on its maiden voyage to cross the Atlantic in 1952—in less than four days—setting a record that still stands today.  

The ship was built through a partnership between the U.S. Government and the United States Lines and featured an aluminum superstructure—this was reportedly the first use of the material on a ship. Its four Westinghouse steam turbines generated 240,000 horsepower that was distributed to four 18-foot diameter propellers, making possible a max speed of 38.38 knots. 

In 1969, the ship was decommissioned and moved to Norfolk, Va, where it remained until being moved to Philadelphia in 1996. There have been various plans for the ship over the past few decades, but in February 2025, the SS United States departed for its next voyage: to be sunk off the coast of Florida to assume its new role as the world’s largest artificial reef. 
 

Fastest cargo ship: Sea-Land Galloway (and siblings) 

In 1972, seven SL-7 container ships were built in Germany and Holland for Sea-Land Services Inc. These 41,000-ton ships were 946 ft long and equipped with two steam turbines, providing the ships 120,000 horsepower. 

These seven ships could reach speeds of 33 knots. According to Guinness World Records, the Sea-Land Exchange set the Atlantic eastbound record at 34.97 knots and the Sea-Land Commerce set the Pacific record at 33.216 knots in August 1973. 

The Algol-class vehicle cargo ships were sold to the U.S. Navy in the early 1980s and they were subsequently renamed and refitted for military use. The Sea-Land Galloway, for one, is now the USS Antares, while the Sea-Land Resource is the USS Denebola. These two sister ships are nearing their end of life, as the U.S. Maritime Administration plans to scrap them in 2026. 
 

Fastest racing tall ship: Statsraad Lehmkuhl 

This three-masted steel barque (a square-rigged ship) was first built in 1914 in Bremerhaven, Germany. The Statsraad Lehmkuhl holds the current record for fastest tall ship by reaching an average speed of 12.49 knots across a 124 hour span in 2016.  

After a long history of serving as a training ship, in 1978, the SL was donated to Norway's Foundation for the Tall Ship Statsraad Lehmkuhl, which continues to operate the ship today. 

The 275-ft-long SL has a permanent crew of 30 and is host to a sail training program where students can learn all the operations necessary on a tall ship. It has also won the Boston Teapot Trophy eight times. 
 

Fastest boat: Spirit of Australia 

Mechanical engineer Ken Warby set the water speed world record on a jet-powered hydroplane that he designed and built in his backyard. The Spirit of Australia reached 275.97 knots at Blowering Dam Lake in New South Wales, Australia, in October 1978, about a year after he unofficially reached 300 knots. 

Now on display at the Australian National Maritime Museum, the Spirit of Australia is made of wood, features an aircraft-inspired cockpit, and is equipped with an old military jet engine that Warby purchased for $65.  

Before he passed in 2023, Warby designed a successor, the Spirit of Australia II, which boasts about 50 percent more horsepower with the help of a Rolls-Royce Orpheus 803 jet engine. Warby’s son Dave hopes to use the boat to break the water speed record that still stands from 1978. 

Louise Poirier is senior editor.