While few noted last year, the ruling body that sets the standards for signatory nations, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) set the goal of cutting green house gas emissions by international shippers by 50% by 2050 (about 30 years from now). Here
Member representatives met recently to formulate a plan for reaching this ambitious goal. One proposal being kicked around is to force those massive container ships to slow down by up to 20%. Not only would it cut emissions, but also reduce the risk of collisions and ocean noise that may disturb marine life. Here
A number of shipping lines have been practicing “slow steaming” for years, (also called economy or Eco speed). While the practice may save fuel in the highly competitive industry, it does come at a number of risk to the vessels and their engines. Here
‘Slow steaming has been adopted by majority of companies and ship owners in order to survive in these tough times of rising fuel prices and financial recession.“
Whaaaaaat? I checked the date of the article, and it was October 2019. Where is there rising fuel prices and financial recession?
I dont see the problem. I used to cruise around downtown in 2nd gear all the time. Old POS ran forever.
I’m all for it! … matter of fact, we should round up the surplus populations in third world countries & ’employ’ them as rowers for all international cargo ships! zero emissions! … hey, it worked in ‘Water World’ & ‘Ben Hur’
what? isn’t the goal to lift up all ‘workers’ & save the planet for the ruling class?
I used to cruise Sunset Boulevard many years ago. Even back then the traffic moved so slowly, a pedestrian would out pace us.
But hey, that was many years ago and I’m still kicking so maybe it does help ones longevity.
Yes, slow down so the Somali pirates can keep up with you.
I just really hate to see a ship cruising at 20, 30 or even 40 knots out there in the wide open expanses. s/
In order to enforce the new speed limit, AOC is recommending speed bumps on the Pacific Ocean.
It just makes me so nervous when those big ol’ ships are speed racing and my great grand-children are paddling around with their pool noodles, splashing and laughing and not paying attention.
Slow down so the 50’s, 20’s and 30’s can work better. Or fucking speed up so the 50’s, 20’s and 30’s can work better. Your jurisprudence — not mine. Rock on!
You can’t compare slowing down in a car to get better mileage with slowing down in a cargo ship. The engines are designed for very different operating regimes. A car engine is designed to handle a wide range or power demands that change constantly and need to be responded to virtually instantly.
A cargo ship is driven by a huge diesel engine and spends a very high proportion of its time running at constant speed. These engines are designed to run close to maximum rated power. Run it slower and all kinds of undesirable things happen: lower peak compression, lower combustion temperature, increased carbon fouling of injectors, lots more crud in the exhaust system, poorer piston ring performance, poor turbosupercharger performance, and on and on. Maintenance practices and schedules have to be drastically changed if you run these behemoths at lower than design speed.
Of course, the greenie weenie climate whiners don’t care about all the extra “carbon” pollution caused by the above problems, the maintenance downtime, nor the inevitable additional repair costs if you don’t get that maintenance just right.
Reading about the different demand cycles of different piston engine applications is actually very interesting. Especially the demands of an aircraft engine that turns a propellor whose efficiency depends on RPM and airspeed.
The point is the 20mm canons. And the 50 caliber machine guns. And the 30 caliber machine guns.
And you’d want 5 inch guns. Just to make the point.
Greenhouse gases has Nothing to do with Anything…..It’s ALL about THEM having CONTROL over US.
Hell, just make them all use 10 H.P. outboard engines. 1 per cargo ship. that will slow them down & reduce carbon emissions.
Okay but what’s the net effect when I order a slow shipload of plastic straws from China?
How about slowing down to STFU UN.
Anything coming out of the UN is suspect.
The one thing liberals excel at creating is unintended consequences. Not jobs, wealth, or anything that actually helps people…
The U.N. can go shit in their hats.
great
bring back the age of sail
who’s really progressive?
Thumb twiddling know-it-all’s in constant search for new ways to impose their control over the worlds productive people.
That why they promote Mann-Made Global Warming and Climate Change.
It gives them unlimited, God-like power… until Trump came along!
Speed bumps on the Pacific Ocean are considered to be large waves. And since most of those huge cargo ships ride so low on the waterline it doesn’t take much to get them to bob up and down like a cork in heavy seas. I rode thru a typhoon once in 1974 on board the Kitty Hawk between Hong Kong and the Philippines and believe me it was a week long trip in very heavy up and down seas. No one went up on the flight deck for a week unless they were tethered to a very stout rope in emergency situations only. And every available plane was jammed into the hangar deck except for the large E-2 Hawkeyes AWACS planes and they were secured with extra heavy tie down chains.
The real answer is for all ships to go nuclear. No pollution, no noise, no problem.
Then, when the reactors have produced enough plutonium, they could be repurposed (recycled) as tactical nuclear weapons. No fuss, no muss, no waste.
U.N. stands for Ultimate Nutcase. The US should get out of the UN and through them out of the country. NATO is more than enough ‘international cooperation’.