4 ms·
> compared to the energy a single shipping tanker Isn't a cargo freighter one of the biggest efficiency gains humanity has ever produced? It's hundreds of time
by feoren 5y ago
> compared to the energy a single shipping tanker
Isn't a cargo freighter one of the biggest efficiency gains humanity has ever produced? It's hundreds of times more efficient than moving the same weight of goods any other way, except by train (after the rail has been laid). Not to detract from your main argument, but using a cargo ship as an example of an energy hog is really badly missing the point.
- xboxnolifes 5y agoEven if it's the most efficient energy improvement in history, it can still be best thing to focus on making more efficient. The best thing to target for improvement is that which has the best output from a function of highest impact and lowest effort. Making cargo ships 0.5% more efficient could still be the lowest effort, highest impact returns on energy (hypothetically, I don't actually know).
- codingdave 5y agoIt would be better to not ship those goods in the first place. That is one reason for buying local and regional where possible. And as you said - we already have rail laid to get it around countries and continents. There are far more complexities than that, of course. Our economy is global, not every country can be self-sufficient, and dialing back our current logistics is a huge task that few people are ready for. But no, saying "cargo ships are efficient" feels like a limiting perspective on this problem.
- tonyedgecombe 5y agoYet thanks to the shipping container our general levels of consumption have never been so high. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jevons_paradox https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jevons_paradox