Curiosity Stream

Heavy Lift

3 episodes 94%4KCC

Inside the machines that move the impossible, from floodgates to giant aircraft.

Meet the engineers and mechanics behind some of the world’s largest lifting and moving equipment, from Venice’s vast flood barrier system to the jumboisation of cruise ships and the Antonov An-225. Each episode reveals how precision, scale, and problem solving make these feats possible, giving you a deeper look at modern engineering worth signing up to explore.

Episode guide

3 episodes
1
1Moving the Mose
Constant high water has been eroding the city of Venice for decades. The plan to build a surge barrier against the tides that cause the so-called “Acqua Alta” has been underway for nearly forty years, but only now is the massive 7-billion-euro surge barrier nearing completion.
44 min
2
2Jumboisation
An in-depth look at the complex heavy lift process of taking an old ship, cutting it in half, and stretching it – an operation called Jumboisation, increasingly common as the demand in the lucrative cruise industry for bigger ships that can haul more and more passengers.
44 min
3
3The Antonov Dream
The story of the Antonov An-225, a relic of the cold war era aircraft made in the Ukraine that still flies challenging missions today. It is the biggest airplane in the world and holds the most air records for cargo lift.
45 min
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