Global Maritime
For a global change in fisheries ... and stuff
For many years, the initiator of Global Maritime studied lots of things which had to do with fisheries, the construction and riggings of ancient and recent fishing vessels, risks and econimics in artisanal fishing, health factors in poor countries and in small comminuties in particular, etc.
He collected facts and figures, contemplated about requirements for a better future for fishermen in poor countries and came up with a completely new vision which deals with many aspects at the same time:
1. Safety:
In a research,[1] the UN's Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) stated "Comparing fatality statistics in the fishing industry with those for other occupational categories reveals that fishing is one of the most dangerous occupations." The International Labour Organization (ILO), the Occupational
[1] http://www.fao.org/docrep/003/x9656e/X9656E.htm
Safety and Health Branch, estimates that 24,000 fatalities occur worldwide per year in fisheries. But, so added the ILO, "... it seems plausible that the fatality rates in countries for which data is not available might be higher than it is in those that do keep records." In other words, the annual global causalty rate in fisheries is most likely a lot higher that the 24,000 initially mentioned by ILO. Some organizations estimate that the realistic death figures are thousands higher.
Therefore, Global LinQ wants to address all safety factors and unite the following safety aspects in the design of their fishing boats:
a. CATAMARAN
Catamarans are boats with 2 hulls. This type of boat offers greater stability than a monohull and therefore a catamaran offers a better work platform at sea.
b. SAFETY IN SAILS
Global LinQ catamarans will be equipped with 2 masts and a low aspect ration rigging. This means, that with this sail plan, Global LinQ catamarans can be trimmed for practically all circomstances at sea. This prevents the catamaran from capsizing, which
sometimes occurs when catamarans are 'over canvassed'.
c. UNSINKABILITY
Global LinQ catamarans are unsinkable because of foamed compartment in bows, sterns and other places. The accumulated volume of all foamed compartments is enough to carry the weight of a laded catamaran. Even the deck houses are designed to float when separated from the rest of the catamaran. This adds enormously to the safety of the crew.
d. SAFETY GEAR
All Global LinQ catamarans will be equipped with safety gear to preserve lives in case of catastrophes.
Point of realization
In 2006, scientists showed that during the past century, ± 90% of all consumable fish stocks have disappeared from our seas and oceans. And when people continue to fish with the present - still mounting - momentum, the remaining 10% is believed to disappear by ± 2048. [1] In other words: by that time no consumptive fish will be left in any of our oceans.
Culprits
Over the past hundred years, fishing companies from countries like America, Russia, Peru, India, Korea, China, and several European countries, among them the Netherlands demanded more and bigger ships with ever greater capacities and better equipment and they invented new ways of fishing to increase catches and profits. However, nobody considered the health and the survival of the fish populations, nor the large scale and tragic destruction of hundreds of thousands of tons of by-catches!
These developments culminated in the invention of the infamous 'super trawlers' or 'factory ships'. These gigantic fishing ships have the capacity to catch up to ± 250,000 kilos of fish per day (!) and to process and store their catches. Thus, if you are searching for the major culprits of the truly large-scale destruction of fish stocks, we can point our fingers at the fishing fleets from these countries.
[1] http://russgeorge.net/2013/05/10/fish-to-disappear-by-2050/
The last development in the wholesale destruction of fish populations are monstrous ships like the Lafayette. This Russian-flagged, Chinese-owned vessel is 5x the size of the Dutch factory trawler now named Margiris, which - after large scale protests - was banned from Australian waters in 2012 because of its destructive fishing capacity. Having said that, you no doubt can imagine how destructive 'Mother ship' Lafayette is, since it uses 5 - 6 super trawlers to continuously catch fish, carry their catches to the Lafayette after which Lafayette processes and freezes everything before bringing it to the port. Meanwhile, its 'satellite' super trawlers can stay at sea all the time to continue their destructive fishing practices.
Today - in spite of decades of earnest warnings by environmental agencies, organizations and scientists against this ruthless and increasingly far-reaching over fishing - the momentum of over fishing is still increasing, intensifying the destruction of complete maritime eco systems and food chains. And now, after having practically neglected the bulk of these warmings for decades, we face the tragic situation that in many oceans the fish populations are decimated and at the brink of exticntion.
On May 15, 2003, National Geographic News announced that only 10% of all large fish - both open ocean species including tuna, swordfish, marlin and the large groundfish such as cod, halibut, skates and flounder - are left in the sea, according to research published in an issue of the scientific journal Nature.
Additional victims
Fish populations, bio-diversity and maritime environments suffer tremendously from over fishing. But for many developing countries, fishing policies[1] and practices from the above mentioned countries form a straightway doomsday scenario. On the one hand the fish stocks in their waters [2] are emptied by the super trawlers of foreign nations, and on the other hand the quota in fishing contracts are often exceeded with hundreds of percents. And because these poor countries lack the means and the funds to adequately protect their maritime interests, there is often nothing these poor countries can do against it ... and gradually the fish stocks in their waters are being depleted.
[1] Some countries structurally subsidize their fishing fleets and activities.
[2] Usually countries have an EEZ (Exclusieve Economic Zone) of 200 sea miles or ± 370 kilometers.
This phenomenon is a lot worse than it seems. A few ciphers can illustrate the gravity of the situation. The economy of many West African countries depend for a large part on fisheries. In Senegal, for example, 32% of the economy stems from fisheries. When things don't change in Senegal's EEZ in a few years time the fisheries situation will collaps and that part of the economy will disappear forever. And missing 32% in the economy - everybody surely agrees - is devastating. It will result in more poverty, hunger, death. But not only the income of many people depens on fisheries; the health of many poor people depends on fish protein. So, fish is of the utmost importance for poor countries.
LINKS (open in new window):
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-36734578
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-32817193
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-30929047
http://britishseafishing.co.uk/the-lafayette-floating-fish-factory/
http://russgeorge.net/2013/05/10/fish-to-disappear-by-2050/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlOtjxufybM
http://goobjoog.com/english/?p=25916
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/apr/02/eu-fishing-west-africa-mauritania
Global Construction uses shipping containers to build all kinds of buildings. The reasons why we love working with container are the following:
1. STRENGTH:
First of all containers have an enormous structural strength. You can pile up six to eight loaded containers and still no container shows any sign of deformation. Is means that you
can use containers for small and even for bigger buildings. And that is a very great advantage.
2. PRICE:
At the moment there is a great surplus of containers all around the world. As a result the prices of containers have come down. For example: a 40' high cubes container is now ± 1000 euros. In other words; you can buy a fairly sized space for only little money. Hence, containers are affordable building blocks for all kinds of buildings.
3. FLEXIBILITY:
Another advantage of containers this that they can easily be cut up or welded. Therefore you can easily prepare containers and combine them together to build larger rooms, buildings, etc. This is the type of flexibility one welcomes wholeheartedly in a building project. This type of flexibility allows one to use containers for houses, estates, schools, student campuses, office space, shops, clinics, warehouses, etc.
4. FOUNDATIONS:
When one starts building our house, one usually builds the foundation exactly in the same shape and according to the same measurements as the house that one builds on top of it. However, building with sea containers also allows for simple foundations. For example, eight concrete pillars suffice to carry a 40' high cube container. On top of the reinforcement of a pillar one welds a long food square piece of metal and on top of this metal sheet on can weld the container. A strong building on a solid foundation offers safety against floods and storms.
5. MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS:
This type of open foundations with the pillars makes it easy for plumbers to the repair piping systems, for electricians to work on the electric systems, etc.
6. SAVING ON INTEREST:
For those who have to finance their building project, the use of containers as building blocks has a extra financial advantage: one can move into the building after finishing a few containers only and finish the construction of the building phase by phase whenever cash is available. When planning building phases carefully, you can also plan the financing in a more economic way. Think about a lower mortgage and saving a lot of interest.
7. FOR ALL BUDGETS:
Builders [and clients] can finish container buildings according to their budget. If someone has a small budget, he can just paint the walls off the house. If he has more money, he can plaster outside of the sea container. And if you wants to make his building extra durable, he can cover the walls with tiles. The last two options also help to isolate the container from the outside.
8. ISOLATION:
Inside container buildings one can also add isolating materials. All requiet piping systems, electric wires, etc. can be fixed against the walls, or hidden behind the most isolating materials and/ or on the ceilings. One can finish the interiors and exteriors of container buildings as luxurious or as simple as one desires. It is all a matter of budget and taste.
9. ROOFS:
In order to increase the comfort inside a container building, one can isolate the roof in several ways. For example: one can weld and edge around the roof, fill it with earth and grow specific plants on the roof. This simple technique protects both against heat and against cold. Another possibility is to construct higher roof over the whole building and cover it with solar panels. This makes the building [at least partly] self sufficient, depending on the electronic equipment that is used inside the building. Such an overhanging roof also keeps the sun away from the walls off the container house, preventing the building to heat up during warm days.
10. WATER:
One can build the roofs with gutters so that rainwater which falls on the roof can be collected and stored in that big thank. That makes it easier to live off the grid, to use water for irrigation, etc
1. Joal |
