Shell to build world's largest floating patform/ship

[Humodour]

They're going to build it off the coast of Western Australia to access the massive but hard to reach natural gas deposits there. Apparently it'll be far larger than an aircraft carrier and will be able to withstand a once-in-the-existence-of-human-civilisation strength tropical cyclone.

 

The vessel will weigh about 600,000 metric tons and be around 480 meters long, 75 meters wide, and designed to withstand a

[Walsingham]

That does sound interesting. My immediate reaction is how are they going to make it robust against all the various problems that can occur? I reckon it would HAVE to be quasi modular, and be made from a composite. Steel 'works' for crude carriers, but something really massive?

 

Thinks: what about some kind of bound aggregate that could allow for a degree of movement but retain basic functionality? Like a gigantic sandbag?