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I'd love to see truly modern wind powered ships - maybe more rotor ships (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotor_ship https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotor_ship) or

I'd love to see truly modern wind powered ships - maybe more rotor ships (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotor_ship https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotor_ship) or something using a modern CFD designed computer controlled aerofoil. Something that could actually slot into the modern shipping industry and reduce emissions - even if only by 20% or in favourable winds. Building 120 year old ship designs without the aid of modern construction techniques is cool, but it's not going to change the shipping industry.

ricardobeat 6y ago
It seems that they are indeed pioneering new technology, a mix of solar + sails + electric propulsion, including power regen from underwater propellers. It will have "one of the largest marine electric engines in the world". The wood framing is likely just the most accessible way to build a technology demonstration model.
- specialist 6y ago
  > power regen from underwater propellers Like this? https://oceanvolt.com/solutions/hydro-generator/ https://oceanvolt.com/solutions/hydro-generator/
Gwypaas 6y ago
Wallenius Marine is designing one. Together with their partner Wilhemsen they are one of the words largest Ro-Ro operators. Completely different scale, although always hard when one of the incumbents try to innovate. https://www.oceanbirdwallenius.com/ https://www.oceanbirdwallenius.com/
specialist 6y ago
I've idly wondered if wave glider powered mini-barges could be used for some tasks. Like maybe a convoy fleet for timber. Or smuggling. https://www.liquid-robotics.com/wave-glider/overview/ https://www.liquid-robotics.com/wave-glider/overview/ -- After some quick googling: gliders travel 0.5-1.5 knots large cargo ships max at 25 knots. downward trend to save fuel, 20 knots is becoming norm. future norm might be as low as 12 knots. duration of trips between China and USA have been 2 - 4 weeks. so will lengthen to 4 - 8 weeks. so... given 7947 nautical miles (China to USA), a glider would take 11 months. Hmmm. -- For future, imagine 12 knots satisfies majority of tasks. There may be payloads where 2 months transit may be acceptable. Is there some combo of sail, foil, rotor, glider, coasting that could sustain 6 knots? Would much smaller, more frequent cargo ships be acceptable. One final notion: My original imagined use case for wave gliders is ocean cleanup. Various kinds of plastic sifting barges, forever at sea. Maybe bundle the plastic and drop it into a trench. Maybe have some kind of solar powered bio reactor that uses plastic as fuel. Maybe other bigger ships gathering the bails of plastic, like land based garbage trucks ply our neighborhoods.

ricardobeat 6y ago

It seems that they are indeed pioneering new technology, a mix of solar + sails + electric propulsion, including power regen from underwater propellers. It will have "one of the largest marine electric engines in the world". The wood framing is likely just the most accessible way to build a technology demonstration model.

specialist 6y ago
> power regen from underwater propellers Like this? https://oceanvolt.com/solutions/hydro-generator/ https://oceanvolt.com/solutions/hydro-generator/

Gwypaas 6y ago

Wallenius Marine is designing one. Together with their partner Wilhemsen they are one of the words largest Ro-Ro operators. Completely different scale, although always hard when one of the incumbents try to innovate. https://www.oceanbirdwallenius.com/ https://www.oceanbirdwallenius.com/

specialist 6y ago

I've idly wondered if wave glider powered mini-barges could be used for some tasks. Like maybe a convoy fleet for timber. Or smuggling. https://www.liquid-robotics.com/wave-glider/overview/ https://www.liquid-robotics.com/wave-glider/overview/ -- After some quick googling: gliders travel 0.5-1.5 knots large cargo ships max at 25 knots. downward trend to save fuel, 20 knots is becoming norm. future norm might be as low as 12 knots. duration of trips between China and USA have been 2 - 4 weeks. so will lengthen to 4 - 8 weeks. so... given 7947 nautical miles (China to USA), a glider would take 11 months. Hmmm. -- For future, imagine 12 knots satisfies majority of tasks. There may be payloads where 2 months transit may be acceptable. Is there some combo of sail, foil, rotor, glider, coasting that could sustain 6 knots? Would much smaller, more frequent cargo ships be acceptable. One final notion: My original imagined use case for wave gliders is ocean cleanup. Various kinds of plastic sifting barges, forever at sea. Maybe bundle the plastic and drop it into a trench. Maybe have some kind of solar powered bio reactor that uses plastic as fuel. Maybe other bigger ships gathering the bails of plastic, like land based garbage trucks ply our neighborhoods.