A Valid Case for the Return of Clippers

[LakeSuperior]

The Shipping Glut Is So Bad Globally That Ships Are Now Sailing Slower Than 19th Century Clippers Just To Keep Busy

Clippers would also reduce amount of greenhouse gases being put into the atmosphere...

[marshmat]

At least they won't be quite as quick to sneak up on sailors in the night. Hopefully, slower running won't translate into slower watch-keeping.

The companies behind these ships don't care about the romance of sail, or the environmental benefits. Every decision is made on purely financial grounds. In this situation, there's a fleet of container liners sized for economic boom times, but less demand for its services. Slowing down reduces the per-mile cost (fuel costs far more than crew on a container liner) and also keeps ships from sitting idle: if ships sit idle in port, customers get the impression they can bargain for cheaper rates.

For sail to make a (partial) comeback in the freight field, it'll have to be made cheap enough to compete with bunker-C fuel oil. Downwind kites, already in sea trial on a few small freighters, might be a first step. I doubt we'll see freighters outfitted with the sort of exotic high-tech rigs seen on racing yachts and the $50M-plus pleasure yacht fleet, which means new rig technology would have to evolve that is cheap, durable and easy for a very short-handed crew to manage.

The potential trickle-down to cruisers could be very interesting....

[MarkJ]

Big ships are definitly moving slower. Mind you I have been TOLD a number of times in the last 3 weeks I am WRONG and ALL container ships move at OVER 25 kts ALWAYS. (The BS here in the Canaries is getting a bit over the top... but also there are some terrific people with wonderful stories!)

I think Reefers (refrigerated cargo) move fairly quickly at 18 or so knots or the bananas etc will ripen. But bulkers, tankers and container ships seem to be ambling along. Most seem to take well over an hour from horizon when on opposing courses.

I don't have AIS (I would dearly love is for this trans atlantic passage, but its double the price here from usa...) but I would think the average would be about 15 kts.

I know we have some ship people here.... what say ye?


Mark

[fishwife]

A quick look at Live Ships Map - AIS - Vessel Traffic and Positions in the English Channel shows very few vessels going faster than 15 knots and many at 10 to 12 knots. Only the Ferries seem to have the pedal to the metal.

P.

[skipmac]

I manage export sales for my company and move cargo mainly from NY to ports in Europe: Rotterdam, Le Havre and Felixstowe. I do keep an eye on shipping details and transit time for my shipments has not increased at all based on ten years of history so I assume the ships we use have not slowed down.

What I am seeing is much higher shipping cost and less space available so have to book space further in advance to get my cargo on board.

I have seen other threads that discuss shipping companies mothballing unused vessels in Asia until demand increases.

This is all going on large container vessels. At the moment I am not moving any liquid bulk shipments that go on large tanker ships so can't comment on tanker speeds. I have a friend that is a ship cargo broker that will certainly know about the issue. Think I will give him a call.

Skip

[MarkJ]

I'd agree that the transit schedules probably havent changed in 10 years, but working smarter instead of harder has been a change in many industries.

Ports that tranship containers were not available 10 years ago; also Australia, for example, had a wharfe dispute because the waterside workers could only load/unload 12 containers per hour where the world rate is 24 and building to 30 per hour.
Ships must have saved many hours there, so though on the same shedule can go slower and cheaper to get there.

Another thing may be if theres 2 captains: both do the same number of miles per year but one captain uses a few thousand tons less fuel. Who is the 'better' captain?
Ships do not leave 5 nms clearence from a headland... they shave the front gate of the Lighthouse keepers cottage. they miss yachts by meters because they don't want to waste fuel going a half a mile out of their way so you feel safer.

Ships Captains should read our threads demanding all to use paper charts because they would have the biggest belly laugh... electronic navigation means they can leave Panama and know precisely what speed they need to do each minute to dock in Japan at 8am next thrusday week when they are sheduled to be there. They don't anchor off the port for 2 days waiting... they just get there on time..

I bet they have a whole range of 'tricks' to save every litre of fuel they can.