DARPA, NASA, and, the DOD have been studying airship technology for years as rapid military transports. There are benefits (faster than ships, not bound by waterways, less crew intensive) and liabilities (vulnerable to wind and weather, vulnerable in general to enemy fire, and, able to carry less for their size than a comparable ship.)
It is a neo-novel concept. The would fill a niche somewhere between sea-going vessels and transport aircraft but that niche and how important it is is the question.
It wouldn’t have much military use, because it is too slow. Where I could see it being used is one could probably unload a ship and load a blimp within a few hours and get it to wherever it needs to be in a minimal number of steps.