Finding a sea route through the Arctic has been the dream of American and European explorers, kings and presidents.
Soon, the Arctic may open up, all by itself, due to global warming. Still, a North East or North West Passage will remain a hazardous journey. And it will only be possible for a few weeks a year.
Therefor, I suggest we build cargo submarines to travel under instead of through the ice cap.
The submarine would be unmanned. Diesel or fuel cell powered. A simple steel box full of cargo, floating only a few metres under the icecap. Pick it up at either end of the ice cap and tow it to its final destination.
An (underwater) arctic passage would greatly reduce the distances needed to get goodies from China to Europe and the American East Coast. And since the Far East is quickly becoming the world's biggest exporter, such a scheme would make sense.
Voilà.
I agree
No opinion
I disagree
Add your comment
If the robot control proves effective it might be worthwhile to use the system for general commercial marine transportation.By submerging the vessels they would be relatively immune to violent storms and, hopefully, piracy. But there would have to be special considerations against piracy such as alarm systems. Without a crew, it would not be necessary to provide the vessel with a breathable atmosphere nor a food supply system. Perhaps a nuclear submarine might be better for deep submarine transportation and relative undetectability, but it might prove too expensive to provide such a vessel.
In order to substantiate my idea a bit: already in 1916, the North German Lloyd Line operated a submarine to transport cargo through an ocean blockade imposed against it by the allied forces.
I quote:
"The "Deutschland" had a cargo capacity of 700 tons (small if compared with surface ships, but equal to that of seven 1990-era C-5A airplanes). She engaged in high-value trans-Atlantic commerce, submerging to avoid British patrols; on her first trip, she carried dyestuff and gemstones to America, nickel, tin and rubber (much of it stored outside the pressure hull) back to Germany."
please see this page (under "1916"), for text and a picture of that cargo sub.
There are a few other historic examples of cargo submarines, but all of them were used in "blockade" type situations.
One could consider the lack of a NorthWest Passage under the Arctic a kind of a blockade to trade with China.
Although there might be advantages in developing cargo submararines global warming seems to be melting sufficient arctic ice to permit normal vessels to make a polar passage.