With dazzling photography, this book celebrates the wide variety of ships and their unique purpose in the world.

Philip Plisson’s gorgeous photographs of some of the world’s most famous ships bring to life the majesty and the elegance of the shipping tradition. From Magellan’s first circumnavigation of the globe to contemporary sailing regattas, ships have been an inspiration in exploration, trade, and recreation, and each ship has its own story to tell. How was it built? What type of fuel does it use? How does it navigate?

Whether they are massive oil tankers, extraordinarily fast speedboats, or colorful sailboats, ships are striking monuments to the human spirit of adventure.