Student accommodations? Why not prison ships?
Posted on 03/03/2009 10:55:43 PM PST by GATOR NAVY
CAR carriers are the ugly sisters of the high seas. Even their owners would admit that, with their high freeboard, they are not beautiful. But they are very functional, designed for a specific purpose — to transport automobiles and trucks.
When Japanese motor manufacturers decided to go global some 30 years ago, they needed a different type of ship to transport vehicles in large volumes. Until relatively recently, this was a fairly simple business, with two main trade lanes, from Japan to the US, and Japan to Europe.
Since then it has become far more complicated. Like other sectors, it has had its ups and downs. But this time last year there was a shortage of capacity as traditional markets were complemented by new ones opening up in booming economies such as Russia and eastern Europe.
Now, however, operators are desperately trying to shed capacity. They have been hit in particular by a collapse in Japanese exports and unsold inventories. Scrapping, slow steaming and lay-up are all happening.
But can these ships be used for anything else? Transporting cattle has not proved a success, as the animals need a huge amount of fresh water. And it does not take much imagination to guess the other drawbacks. One line is considering converting vessels into student accommodation .
But with their massive car decks, can these great caverns be put to other uses? A theme park, maybe, or venue for rock concerts?
In these desperate times, there really is a need for some blue-sky thinking.
Student accommodations? Why not prison ships?
We may need them to transport all the money we are borrowing from China & India.
Heck, I'll need that thing to carry just my money to buy a loaf of bread in the near future.
Transport vessels for carrying the inconceivable amounts of bullshit now produced in Washington, D.C. to disposal sites elsewhere.
Actually, with parking costing so much, especially in NYC, Chicago, etc., they could be used as parking garages. My Cousin tells me he pays $1600 a month for parking in Manhattan. I was floored.
Or are they (ahem ahem) 'too big to fail.'
What about aircraft carriers.
I saw one of these going up the Columbia River recently that looked rather like the picture. I wondered why it was not riding lower in the water if it was really full of cars.
How many car dealers are there in Eastern Washington?
Probably not enough for one of these ships, and I doubt it would make it through the locks anyway, but I happened to see this one in Astoria. There are giant lots near Portland where they unload these ships. I see them going up and down the Columbia all the time, but I usually don't get to observe them so closely.
I was surprised how high in the water this one was riding, and I wondered if the economy meant there were fewer cars then usual, but maybe there is enough structure beneath the water that they always ride like that. Apparently the Columbia River channel has a depth of 40 feet.
Convert part of it into tourist accommodation and let them drive their own cars while on vacation.
A ship like that will hold 100’s of M-1A Tanks.
Oops.
On July 23, 2006, she was en route from Japan to Vancouver, British Columbia; Tacoma, Washington; and Port Hueneme, California, with a cargo of 4,812 vehicles. During a transfer of ballast water south of the Aleutian Islands, she lost stability and developed a 60-degree list to port. There were reports of a large wave striking the vessel during the ballast transfer, but it is unknown what effect this had on her loss of stability.
That’s an interesting idea.
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