Category Archives: Ships and Barges

When Trucks Stop Running, So Does Civilization. Energy and the Future of Transportation.

When Trucks Stop Running. Energy and the Future of Transportation. Available at Springer, Amazon, Google Play, Barnes & Noble, Alibris When Trucks Stop Running: Table of Contents, Preface, References Book review: “When Trucks Stop Running: Energy and the Future of … Continue reading

Posted in Electric & Hydrogen trucks impossible, Electric Grid & Fast Collapse, Electrification, Energy Books, Oil Shocks, Railroads, Ships and Barges, Transportation Infrastructure, Transportation Supply chain, Trucks, When Trucks Stop Running | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on When Trucks Stop Running, So Does Civilization. Energy and the Future of Transportation.

NRC study on transporting ocean containers inland

[I was interested in this research because if trucks can’t be electrified, civilization ends (see “When Trucks Stop Running: Energy and the future of Civilization” (Springer 2015)).  This paper doesn’t have a solution to getting containers from ports to inland … Continue reading

Posted in Ships and Barges, Trucks | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on NRC study on transporting ocean containers inland

Congressional hearings on why the Inland water way system is falling apart

[There are extracts from 2 hearings below.  Alice Friedemann. www.energyskeptic.com] U.S. SENATE. Jan 31, 2013. Harbor maintenance trust fund & the need to invest in the nation’s ports. S. HRG. 113-578. Hearing before the Committee on Environment & public works. … Continue reading

Posted in Congressional Record U.S., Ships and Barges | Comments Off on Congressional hearings on why the Inland water way system is falling apart

Barges are more energy efficient than rail and truck

  [After reading two congressional hearings, one in 2008, and another in 2013, about how the inland waterway system was falling apart, and had been for 30 years, I was curious to know why such an important asset would be … Continue reading

Posted in Ships and Barges | 2 Comments

Oil shortages: Transportation needs to go back to high inventories, not just-in-time delivery

Huge amounts of fuel are wasted as trucks arrive half full with just the needed parts at factories and warehouses and return empty. As oil shocks strike, fuel will be less available.  Large inventories will help by cushioning businesses from … Continue reading

Posted in Railroads, Ships and Barges, Transportation, Trucks | Comments Off on Oil shortages: Transportation needs to go back to high inventories, not just-in-time delivery

Super Rust Corrodes hundreds of ships and could sink the oil industry

Blame it on super-rust, a virulent form of corrosion that has destroyed hundreds of ships and could sink the oil industry. By Richard Martin, June 2002. Wired Magazine. Key points (see the full article at http://archive.wired.com/wired/archive/10.06/superrust.html): Ships that cost hundreds … Continue reading

Posted in Exports decline to ZERO, Ships and Barges, Transportation Infrastructure | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Super Rust Corrodes hundreds of ships and could sink the oil industry

Moving oil by ship or barge to refineries

Frittelli, J., et al. May 5, 2014. U.S. Rail Transportation of Crude Oil: Background and Issues for Congress. Congressional Research Service. Barge One river barge can hold 10,000 to 30,000 barrels of oil. Two to three river barges are typically … Continue reading

Posted in Refining, Ships and Barges | Comments Off on Moving oil by ship or barge to refineries