Green shipbuilders hark back to age of sail

This seems like a no brainer if it can reduce fuel consumption by even 30% . That is a huge amount of fuel and fuel cost have to make up a major portion of the cost of shipping. It certainly would not reduce the costs of shipping by that amount but 5 to 10% at least should be expected IF it reduces fuel consumption by 30%. More needs to be done making engines cleaner but this is a real good start because it have an incentive of saving money on fuel costs.

Sails, plus modern meteorology, plus GPS, plus smaller, cleaner engines, plus Solar power, plus improved mapping of the world, and we may get shipping costs down incredibly, and to the shipper's advantage! but look for a very long adaptation curve, as the "Status Quo" has tremendous force against any change! This is why we are soon likely to benefit from a massive and very destructive World War, to smash the grip of the "Status Quo" and break into the Age of Aquarius, the fourth turning, the time beyond 2012, a new age for humanity!

You could adapt the nuclear technology used by the Navies of the world to merchant shipping, nearly eliminating hydrocarbon fuel from the shipping industry. Then, while anchored in port the ships can plug into the grid and provide power. Of course, you would have to change some of the laws that prevent ships from defending themselves from pirates. We don't want a nuclear reactor to get hijacked.

You could adapt the nuclear technology used by the Navies of the world to merchant shipping, nearly eliminating hydrocarbon fuel from the shipping industry. Then, while anchored in port the ships can plug into the grid and provide power. Of course, you would have to change some of the laws that prevent ships from defending themselves from pirates. We don't want a nuclear reactor to get hijacked.