Tag Archives: ship

Offshore abortion boat defies Spanish laws

In a world that is increasingly flattened by technology and transportation, it’s getting harder for nation-states to impose restrictions on their citizens. Spain’s abortion laws are the latest to be challenged by Holland’s “Women on Waves” ship, which anchors in international waters offshore from countries with prohibitive stances on abortion to allow women the right of choice without fear of legal repercussions. [via Pharyngula]

When climate change turns entire nations into refugees and/or migrants, will geography cease to determine which legal system constrains you? Or will the notion of physical territory simply become atomised to the micro-scale, like the turf demarcations of London teenagers?

Skysail – a retrospective

MS_Beluga_SkySails_gesetzter_Kite Sails on boats?  Using wind to move ships?  My God, what will they think of next!?

Our own Tomas Martin brought up this novel concept back in January.  Now that the Beluga has completed the first leg of its voyage and the costs have been calculated, it turns out that the savings estimates of 20%/day (roughly $1500, or 3 euros and a handful of beans on the exchange market) were spot on.  To put it in perspective, the normal fuel budget is around $7500/day.  That’s a big chunk of change, and a boon to an industry that has been found to be even more damaging in terms of carbon emissions.

(via Dailytech, image from Skysails website)