A company called Neoline in France plans to make a commercial cargo sailing ship.
Apparently, the company feels that the day will come when having a zero-net emission ship will be advantageous. I suspect that, to the shippers, it won't matter one bit. All they want is their cargo delivered, safely, on time, and at a competitive price.
(H/T)
Literally Scream For Ice Cream, Part 8
51 minutes ago
8 comments:
11 knots, commercial speed...not likely to work very well, IMHO.
That was fine back in the prewar days before containerization. The Liberty ships could do maybe 11 knots. Containerships sail around 20-25kts.
Shippers aren't going to be happy with 11kts,
I did see a reference for bulk ships averaging 14k, but the sails deployment looks like it would significantly impede containers. Perhaps a viable carrier for bulk, non-perishable foodstuffs? Low cost would be an advantage...but...
There was a small fleet of bulk-carrier sailing ship in the Chilean nitrate trade in the first third of the 20th century.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_P-Liner.
The fastest, the Preussen, could go over 20 knots and average 18. She was rammed just before midnight 5 November 1910 while outbound on her 14th voyage. The cross-channel steamer's captain didn't realize the Preussen was making 16 knots at the time and tried to cross ahead of her bows. That's a nautical no-no, and he lost his license.
In a future world , where depleted fuel sources are too valuable to burn. Speed becomes secondary to economy.
It is coming , of this there is no doubt.
During the last big economic downturn, container ships were running at reduced speeds to conserve fuel. Some even added cool stuff like this:
"Some ships have been fitted with kite-like "skysails", or systems that force compressed air out of hulls to allow them to "ride" on a cushion of bubbles. These measures can cut fuel consumption by up to 20%."
I'd imagine a sail-powered container ship would still have conventional propulsion for when needed.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/jul/25/slow-ships-cut-greenhouse-emissions
The Neoliner does have a diesel engine.. COSAD?
COSOD, probably. For getting in and out of port.
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