automatic box boats

[Keith Tindell]

I have just been listening to the discussion on Radio 4 this morning, on the use of automatic computer controlled box boats, the guy putting the argument forward concede that the stumbling block at the moment was the insurance company acceptance of this. So never mind the danger to life, its down to the old god money. he estimated within 10 years they will be plying the seas. One system that would test it, and you will all have seen the situation, off the Portugese coast for example, literally hundreds of small fishing boats, at night, displaying an all round bright light, so would love to see how an automatic ship would deal with that?, or would it just charge right through them?, regardless of life.We will see if we are still here in 10 years KT

[Ron Kendall]

Those fishing boats often had no lights, until they spotted you, then a torch or lantern would suddenly appear,usually too late! as you nearly ran them down, all you could hear was a torrent of abuse, one of the expressions I recall was Barsteward, in a loud voice.

[Keith at Tregenna]

Are these the same as the crewless drone boats that could replace cargo ships and be operated remotely from anywhere in the world ?

Ships would have no crew on board
Operated from a hi-tech virtual reality deck at the company's Norway HQ
Cameras beam 360-degree views from the drone ship back to operators

LINK: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencete...ely-world.html

[Ivan Cloherty]

No doubt designed by someone who has been ashore too long, or never been to sea, apart from all those unregulated fishing boats world wide, how will the computer cope with the unregulated rogue wave that comes out of nowhere, they'll have to improve weather forecasting before this becomes a reality. Liking unmanned ships to drones is likening chalk to cheese, ships do not have the speed to alter for unexpected weather conditions, nor do they have the advantage of seeking lower or higher altitudes to avoid same, too many inponderables on an ocean passage that are not experienced in traversing the upper air. They also talk about the automated ships not being attractive to pirates because there would be no crew to be held to ransom, are they kidding, piracy was never about crew, it was always about the ship and its cargo value and I should imagine unmanned ships would be more vunerable, never underestimate the abilities of pirates to bypass automated systems, they are not all hillbillies and will have more time to work things out when armed guards are not firing at them....................it will be some time yet before the wrinkles are ironed out

[j.sabourn]

It seems that all these so called inventors of the future are only interested in cutting out manpower, on their own way to hopeful riches. They have messed up one industry after another, from the cotton and textile to the ship building and other industries once performed by skilled labour. For a couple of weeks after over running my leave, Moor line Ltd. had me in the office, they would never have idle hands, during that 2 weeks in 1958 was shown the ledgers all kept in hand with the old pen and ink, of the companies assets ship by ship, there profit and loss, the losses were just not there. A 10,000 ton ship in those days, one cargo a year paid for all the running costs of a ship. On the Debit side (probably for the usual tax swindle) the biggest debit was the depreciation of the Hull and machinery, there were huge debits claimed for this, then came Insurance, various debits re drydocking etc. Food, and last the lowest debit of all was crews wages. Every business wages is the first and nearly always the only thing that the owners hit, it is the only thing that they have control over. The present Debit side when figures are quoted by Qantas the Australian Airlines, if the general public could see the balance sheets that are quoted the loss on paper of the depreciation of their aircraft, which is not their employees fault, but poor management is more than likely to be their biggest loss maker shown. Audit books are made to show huge losses by such means. As master on foreign ships will be aware the monthly portage accounts had to match up at the end of the month, there were no big problems with such and could be made to match up or otherwise as required. Wages although they may appear to be through the roof are not the cause in most cases of big companies going to the wall , but as an excuse for getting rid of some of their workforce. JS PS Thinking back it may have been 1959 in office. There was one exceptional debit on the Avonmoor of bringing back one DBS from Australia, think his name was Cappy, apparently insisted on bringing his emu with him as claimed it was his fiancée, however it was put on the debit side and later claimed on insurance. JS

[happy daze john in oz]

[late! as you nearly ran them down, all you could hear was a torrent of abuse, one of the expressions I recall was Barsteward, in a loud voice.[/QUOTE]

Of course, at that tiome they wanted a drink.

[robpage]

re #5 did he stuff that emu on the voyage home ?

[cappy]

re #5 did he stuff that emu on the voyage home ?

######stuff it rob he couldnt bleedin catch it.......emu on the run faster than man with keks down .....by them long legged buggers can run

[robpage]

that is a female sand-dancer , what about the Emu

[robpage]

that is a female sand-dancer , what about the Emu