Water Transport

1.      It is possible to use some water transport within Utopium Alpha, and, certainly, along the rivers and canals, and along the coasts. 

2.      A large project was designed by GE, for three different types of ships, all trimarans (See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trimaran), ie having three hulls.  GE’s designs are for three different sizes of trimarans.  For the smallest, the central hull is not more than 8 feet wide, which should be able to navigate most canals (without, or with retractable, sponsons).  Such from: canals could also be provided within Utopium Alpha (and similar cities), similar to Venice. The smaller ships were built around standard shipping containers, normally, 20 or 40 to 45 feet long, 8 feet wide and 8.5 feet high, for cargo, passengers and crew.  Each trimaran carries a sponson on each side (See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sponsonflotation).

3.      The sponsons on both sides could be retracted, extended, raised or lowered to provide flotation, stability, fuel storage and propulsion. The medium sized ship would carry seven standard containers for cargo and passengers and one more for crew and navigation. The largest one could have 32 (or 64, if stacked) standard containers, at least one reserved for crew and navigation. Each sponson could carry up to six more containers, in addition to flotation, fuel and propulsion facilities.   Some containers are adjustable in size from 8 to 12 feet in width, 40 to 55 feet long and 8.5 to 10.5 in height.  Each group of containers are attachable to flotation gear, which may also incorporate propulsion units and fuel tanks.  All containers are independently transported by rail, road or air, or by a ship, including another similar ship.  Every ship has an external frame to carry a container, or groups of containers, carried by the main-hull or one, or both, sponson hulls.  The frames are also used to hold in position or adjust the height and distance between sponsons and the main-hull , retract, or position them forward to or to the rear of the main-hull.

4.      All GE’s trimarans can be equipped with platforms to land and launch autogyros able to takeoff or land vertically. Trimarans able to cruise at 35 mph while sailing into the wind, could also allow non-vertical-capable autogyros  to operate from them. 

5.      Trimaran engines using fuel from non-CO2-emitting sources (eg hydrogen)  can also provide propulsion  on sponsons and main hulls.

6.      Trimarans can also be equipped with sailing-rig masts and yard arms, on the main-hull and sponsons, and retractable, if necessary, to pass under bridges without waiting for the bridges to be raised, or turned aside, to allow passage.

7.   These trimarans could obviously be improved with platforms for handling Gavins (pilotless, vertically capable, passenger-and/or-freight-carrying  autogyros). and equipped to be controlled by Mother Hawks (pilotless airplanes).  Mother Hawks could also control the trimarans, or fleets of trimarans, as well.