The side-discharge funnels followed Japanese practice, while extending the flight deck fully over the bow was judged to offer little useful space. The Shokaku class measured about 257 metres long and displaced roughly 32,000 tons at deep load. Eight boilers supplied four geared turbines and four shafts for 160,000 shaft horsepower, producing a top speed of about 34.5 knots. A cruising range near 9,700 nautical miles at 18 knots gave the ships the endurance to operate across Pacific distances. Together, those figures show a mature design able to keep pace with the strike force and sustain the movement demanded by Japanese carrier doctrine.
Notable Point · 27:25-29:37
Machinery and range for Pacific operations
The class combined 160,000 shaft horsepower, 34.5-knot speed, and long cruising range in a roughly 32,000-ton full-load design.