A yard suitable for a 277.8-metre, 37-metre-beam ship cannot simply accept a 345-metre vessel with a 51.5-metre beam. Greater draft also raises the practical depth required in docks and approaches, especially when a damaged or unevenly loaded ship needs a margin below its keel. Slipways, dry docks, dredged channels, and repair access would all have to grow with the hull. These physical limits are design constraints with direct operational consequences. Attractive paper performance depends on the real system needed to build, move, and repair the ship.
Notable Point · 15:48-19:10
Bigger hulls require bigger yards and docks
Length, beam, and draft growth would force Germany to expand slipways, docks, and access channels before it could operate the largest H-class proposals.