Submarines.

Still less Utilised.

The world of the submariner seems to remain in the hands of the military in relation to the commercial procurement of its use in shipping and travel?

Submarines can be developed to move cargo and is used on a limited scale for underwater tourism, but is it not time to harness this extra form of travel over that of air pollution and the expanse of the claimed carbon foot print.

Many robotic small subs are being harnessed daily by the scientific community to explore the depths, to search for sunken treasure and to do seabed pollution investigation.

Engines. Part-One.

The heart of every Machine.

If one visits the Science Museum in London, U.K. or nearly every country in the world, you are confronted by the engines of all the great machines that have ever been built. For mechanics this is a day out, for others perhaps after looking at a couple one can get bored easily?

But it is the engine from the petrol to the hydro-electric fusion that has been the heart of motive power this last 125 years. Engines have helped in the development of getting into space, going to the depths of our oceans, building all forms of structures and tunnels.

 Ford T-Model car, Mark 1 tank, Holland Submarine, Sputnik, Ferrari, Porche,Apollo Rockets, Queen Mary, Spitfire, Volkswagen Beetle, Drones, Hydro Power, Trains, Mustang P-51, Rolls-Royce, MiG-15, SR-71, Bullet train, Antonov 225 Mirya, X-Planes, Mars Rovers,

Steam was one thing, Diesel another, fusion is something else and nuclear elctro fusion will take us out of our solar system?

Underwater Transport.

1960's Concepts.

Since these ideas of using civilian submarines in the 1960's no progress has at yet been made to bring anything outside the tourism industry to fruition. Australia and Israel are perhaps only two countries in the world to see the value of using submarines to view coral reefs and low level sea plains.

It is either the financial viability, costs and safety that has blocked the serious alternative to surface shipping. It would seem that the Submarine is to remain for some time yet the preserve of the military and Navies of the globe.

The advantages of not having to cope with rough seas and the probability of better speed to deliver goods has it would seem been placed on the sidelines of conventuality. 

But perhaps with the need to cut down of fossil fuels and carbon emissions the day of submersed travel might in this century be not far away?

Swedish Navy.

Stealth.

Sweden has a long history for its navy from the Vikings to Empire and then decline. Today it boast the most powerful navy in the Baltic sea, apart from the Russian Federation.

Recently the amazing stealth ship design got itself into hot water with Russia after identifying Russian submarines operating in its inshore coastal waters, but in reflection of the sonar data this has turned out to be two World-War-II (1939-45) subs.

The Swedish navy has had a history with the Soviet Union and the Warsaw pact, trying to avoid detection in patrolling the Baltic's and they have been successful up to now in protecting their interests.

Sweden has a long history of quality development in military hardware, such as the Bofors 40mm gun, the Saab Draken, Viggen fighter jets, Volvo trucks, Surface to air hand-held missile launchers and it range of Stealth shipping from fast Patrol boats to frigates.

Underwater Cities.

Jules Verne.

It is probably to expensive to build a underwater city that is imagined in 19th Century science-fiction and would they really be viable? It has been the development of the nuclear deep water capable submarines that perhaps has put to bed this concept.

There are some inshore underwater observatories and most for tourism, rather than science around the world. But it would still remain an advantage to build a base to study the potentials for even future planetary expeditions say to Titan and some of the moons of both Saturn and Jupiter?

Ships. Part-One.

A Essential Need.

The first ship ever built, was perhaps Noah's Ark? What we know of this vessel is to be found in the Bile, Tanakh and the Koran. We believe it to be made of Gopher wood, but since we do not know what Gopher is, it may not have been wood/

Ever since humans have had water, they have built all types of boats from hollowed out trees to reed rafts, boats and coracles. The boat was a vehicle to move from A to B/Z, to carry one or two persons across a lake or a river and eventually the sea's and Oceans.

Goods, weapons and other loads, boats for warfare and for fishing were perhaps the first essentials. Today ships come in all sizes and shapes, some are used to carry general cargo, others are much larger such as the bulk carriers and carry coal, ores and even the largest tankers are for gas and crude oil.

They all work on the same design and principles and are mostly of the same shape, apart from specialist ships. Humans have increased size and development in the warship from sailed cannon carriers to nuclear powered aircraft carriers such as the Nimitz class.

We also live in the age of underwater travel and their are a whole host of passenger ferry ships from river craft to super luxury liners. 

But what is the future of shipping?

Submarines.

This is perhaps the least most exploited technology for civil use re-cargo and passenger travel. Yes I recognise that there are various mini submersibles for deep sea research and exploration, but why are their no cargo vessels or commercial liners for under the sea? Is it to dangerous or to expensive, or is there no real interest?