Pioneering wind-powered cargo ship sets sail

alphacyberranger@lemmy.world to World News@lemmy.world – 208 points –
Pioneering wind-powered cargo ship sets sail
bbc.co.uk
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I wonder how practical it would be to recommission old nuclear aircraft carriers as cargo ships

They'd be in repair most of the time like right now

If it was practical they would be doing it already.

You misspelled profitable

It is far more than that.

It needs to be cost effective (which might include profotabilit6), be feasible to implement, sustainable, and a bunch of other stuff too.

Aircraft carriers and subs being the only transportationethod using nuclear is a good sign that it isn't practical for shipping. That is likely a combination of nuclear requiring highly trained staff that are not just out in the work force, the ability to procure a reactor and maintenance parts, the ability to obtain fissible material, the ability to dry dock a ship with a nuclear reactor, and a bunch of other stuff that could even be affordable without being practical for reasons beyond costs.

We don't always do the most practical thing though.

For instance lateen sails are not the best sail design but is used by every sail manufacturer currently.

Best depends on many factors beyond things like efficiency, weight, or durability. Lateen sails are easy to implement with a single mast, are easy to store and maintain, and everyone that has sailed has experience with them. Other sails might do a better job of catching the wind, but with tradeoffs on maintenance and usability.

Practicality is often complex and leans towards easier maintenance and established knowledge.

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