Describes the development of maritime shipbuilding since the end of the 19th century. With the invention of the steam engine and the implementation of machine-assisted propulsion for ships, warfare at sea had radically changed. Ever new improvements that go hand in hand with the rapid development of war weapons have led to the arms race of various nations since the First World War at the latest. Today aircraft carriers, nuclear submarines, destroyers and other classes of ships are an integral part of global power politics. The documentary series shows famous sea battles of history and shows the influence ships have had in the war politics of different nations.