Shipping

An article posted last week by the Guardian and highlighted yesterday by Treehugger.com cites recent studies as well as data from maritime industry sources that the combination of quantity and quality of low-grade bunker fuel used in the massive engines of freight vessels may result in more emissions than all the cars in the world!  I don’t mean to wax sensationalist here, this is what is stated in the article.  If the truth is anywhere near the statement, then the idea of

April 15, 2009 - Ian Sacs

For the last ten years, the Army Corps of Engineers has been dredging the bottom of Boston Harbor in an effort to make more room for larger cargo ships. Dredging is almost complete on the project.

October 27, 2008 - The Boston Globe

Over the past few years, San Francisco's waterfront has become home to art pieces like an enormous, cartoony bow and arrow and a giant spider. Labor historians have a different idea: A five-story crane built in the early 1970s for loading coconuts.

September 27, 2008 - San Francisco Chronicle

City Cargo of Amsterdam has developed a fleet of non-polluting vehicles to deliver cargo via the city's unused streetcar tracks. Their aim is to cut the number of trucks going into the city by 50%.

September 25, 2008 - Treehugger

Gulfport, Mississippi lays plans to be the home of America's largest container port facility.

September 16, 2008 - Sun Herald

The government of Manitoba hopes to take advantage of Winnipeg's location near the geographic centre of North America to build an "inland port" to funnel imports through the continent on improved highways and rail links.

September 13, 2008 - Winnipeg Free Press

The enormous traffic in imported goods is generating a huge amount of disease-causing pollution in and around ports, and along trade routes.

September 6, 2008 - AlterNet

Toyota has hired two firms to build solar panels to augment the diesel engines on their car-carrying behemoths. The result will be a cut in CO2 emissions of 1 to 2 percent per year, or about 20 tons.

September 4, 2008 - Wired

For the first time in recorded history, the Northwest and the Northeast passages are free enough of ice to be navigable. Shipping companies welcome this effect of global climate change.

September 1, 2008 - Der Spiegel

Humboldt's port shows promise, but would require massive investment. Goldman Sachs expresses an interest, surprising locals.

June 2, 2008 - Times-Standard, Northern California

Railroads are overcoming decades of resistance from environmentalists by touting their greener aspects.

May 30, 2008 - Wall St. Journal

Former Russian president Vladimir Putin has announced his intentions to propose that Russia and the United States move forward with plans from the early 20th century to build a 64-mile tunnel between the two countries.

April 1, 2008 - The Times (UK)

A ring road covering more than 1,500 miles in Afghanistan has eased shipping in the country, but traveling along the new pavement is still dangerous.

March 19, 2008 - NPR

South Korea's new president has proposed the engineering and construction of a huge cross-country canal -- a plan he hopes will revive much of the country's depressed villages and offer an attractive venue for tourists and shipping companies.

March 13, 2008 - The New York Times