Slow Boat From China Makes A Comeback

[petertribo]

"A combination of the recession and growing awareness in the shipping industry about climate change emissions encouraged many ship owners to adopt "slow steaming" to save fuel two years ago. This lowered speeds from the standard 25 knots to 20 knots, but many major companies have now taken this a stage further by adopting "super-slow steaming" at speeds of 12 knots (about 14mph).

Travel times between the US and China, or between Australia and Europe, are now comparable to those of the great age of sail in the 19th century. American clippers reached 14 to 17 knots in the 1850s, with the fastest recording speeds of 22 knots or more."

Modern cargo ships slow to the speed of the sailing clippers | Environment | The Observer

Alan Villiers in his wonderful auto-bio, The Set Of The Sails, discusses the economics of commercial sailing.

[JohnRPollard]

Hey, thanks, that's a fascinating one.

Too bad Sailaway21 isn't around anymore -- he was formerly a merchant ship captain and always had interesting insight on these topics.

I guess the good news for sailors is that ships should be easier to dodge! Maybe there'll even be a new market for our skills if the "Age of Sail" has a renaissance.

[knothead]

Originally Posted by petertribo

"A combination of the recession and growing awareness in the shipping industry about climate change emissions encouraged many ship owners to adopt "slow steaming" to save fuel two years ago. This lowered speeds from the standard 25 knots to 20 knots, but many major companies have now taken this a stage further by adopting "super-slow steaming" at speeds of 12 knots (about 14mph).

Travel times between the US and China, or between Australia and Europe, are now comparable to those of the great age of sail in the 19th century. American clippers reached 14 to 17 knots in the 1850s, with the fastest recording speeds of 22 knots or more."



Alan Villiers in his wonderful auto-bio, The Set Of The Sails, discusses the economics of commercial sailing.

People are cheap and getting cheaper. Fuel is relatively expensive and is getting more so. So it really is no surprise.
I can't think of any reason that sails shouldn't be implemented as well.

[dhays]

Originally Posted by petertribo

Travel times between the US and China, or between Australia and Europe, are now comparable to those of the great age of sail in the 19th century. American clippers reached 14 to 17 knots in the 1850s, with the fastest recording speeds of 22 knots or more.

Short bursts of speed are fine, but I don't think most of the runs were anywhere near that 14-17 knot average speed.

The problem of course is that the late clippers were able to make very fast passages but only under the best of conditions. They were at the mercy of wind and weather whereas the steamships were slower but predictable. I don't believe we will ever see a return of the sailing ship as a commercial freight hauler, but I can imagine all kinds of wind/sail assisted ships being used.

Dave