The invisible network that keeps the world running

#1

Post by mowgles » Mon, Mar 02, 2015, 5:14 PM UTC

The invisible network that keeps the world running
bbc.com

Re: The invisible network that keeps the world running

#2

Post by Animats » Mon, Mar 02, 2015, 11:39 PM UTC

Wait until he visits Rotterdam. It's all robot cranes and robot vehicles.

Re: The invisible network that keeps the world running

#3

Post by flashman » Tue, Mar 03, 2015, 3:10 AM UTC

Here's a premise for you: autonomous cargo ships, incorporated as their own entities, bidding on freight contracts and offering transport through a system not unlike an AdWords bidding auction. They circle the world constantly, offloading and picking up cargo from sail-through offshore platforms, stopping only for maintenance, and occasionally doing really strange things for reasons only their algorithms can explain.

Re: The invisible network that keeps the world running

#4

Post by wyager » Tue, Mar 03, 2015, 5:00 AM UTC

flashman wrote: post #3

Here's a premise for you: autonomous cargo ships, incorporated as their own entities, bidding on freight contracts and offering transport through a system not unlike an AdWords bidding auction. They circle the world constantly, offloading and picking up cargo from sail-through offshore platforms, stopping only for maintenance, and occasionally doing really strange things for reasons only their algorithms can explain.

Throw in the ability to do complex live learning/optimization and you have a recipe for some really interesting behavior.

Re: The invisible network that keeps the world running

#5

Post by swatow » Tue, Mar 03, 2015, 7:00 AM UTC

flashman wrote: post #3

Here's a premise for you: autonomous cargo ships, incorporated as their own entities, bidding on freight contracts and offering transport through a system not unlike an AdWords bidding auction. They circle the world constantly, offloading and picking up cargo from sail-through offshore platforms, stopping only for maintenance, and occasionally doing really strange things for reasons only their algorithms can explain.

When things move so slowly, there is no advantage to being autonomous. And it makes little difference economically who the owners are. Right now, ships will change their speeds based on changes in interest rates, since it is more fuel efficient to move slowly, but when interest rates go up, it is worthwhile to get the cargo to its destination quicker.

Re: The invisible network that keeps the world running

#6

Post by 205guy » Tue, Mar 03, 2015, 7:49 AM UTC

For those who want a peek into the maritime industries (shipping, offshore extraction, navies, tourism, etc) and their concerns (commodity prices, shipwrecks, arctic warming, big engine tech): gcaptain.com

Re: The invisible network that keeps the world running

#7

Post by joosters » Tue, Mar 03, 2015, 9:15 AM UTC

A book suggestion for anyone who would like to read more: "Ninety percent of everything"

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ninety-Percent-Everything-Shipping-I...

Re: The invisible network that keeps the world running

#8

Post by reitanqild » Tue, Mar 03, 2015, 9:50 AM UTC

205guy wrote: post #6

For those who want a peek into the maritime industries (shipping, offshore extraction, navies, tourism, etc) and their concerns (commodity prices, shipwrecks, arctic warming, big engine tech): gcaptain.com

Thanks! I didn't know and I've been working in the industry for many moons already.

My go-to site for offshore is the local http://www.offshore.no/international/

Anyone else has good resources?

Re: The invisible network that keeps the world running

#9

Post by thret » Tue, Mar 03, 2015, 10:14 AM UTC

flashman wrote: post #3

Here's a premise for you: autonomous cargo ships, incorporated as their own entities, bidding on freight contracts and offering transport through a system not unlike an AdWords bidding auction. They circle the world constantly, offloading and picking up cargo from sail-through offshore platforms, stopping only for maintenance, and occasionally doing really strange things for reasons only their algorithms can explain.

This idea sounds very similar to the one of driverless cars owning themselves: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-30998361

Re: The invisible network that keeps the world running

#10

Post by mafribe » Tue, Mar 03, 2015, 11:41 AM UTC

swatow wrote: post #5

flashman wrote: post #3

Here's a premise for you: autonomous cargo ships, incorporated as their own entities, bidding on freight contracts and offering transport through a system not unlike an AdWords bidding auction. They circle the world constantly, offloading and picking up cargo from sail-through offshore platforms, stopping only for maintenance, and occasionally doing really strange things for reasons only their algorithms can explain.

When things move so slowly, there is no advantage to being autonomous. And it makes little difference economically who the owners are. Right now, ships will change their speeds based on changes in interest rates, since it is more fuel efficient to move slowly, but when interest rates go up, it is worthwhile to get the cargo to its destination quicker.

That's really interesting. I know little / nothing about the economics of large scale maritime transport. Could you point me towards some reading material on this subject?