Harry Valentine

Author and Researcher

Mr. Valentine has a degree in mechanical engineering from Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada specializing in thermodynamics (energy conversion) and transportation technology. He has worked as a technical journalist for the past 10-years and has more than 2 decades of research in the transportation industry.

The Growing Need to Reverse Declining Caspian Sea Levels

By Harry Valentine 2018-11-17 21:43:29

During the mid-1970s, water levels in the inland Caspian Sea dropped to record lows before steadily rising until mid-1990s. Since 1995, water levels began to steadily decline by seven centimeters per year. Warmer summer temperatures have increased evaporation as summer winds push the humidity south across Iran toward the Arabian Sea. A population of some 80 million people would benefit from action aimed at replenishing Caspian Sea water levels and maintaining optimal peak levels. Introduction While water levels of inland...

Winged Vessels and the Case for Coastal Airports

By Harry Valentine 2018-11-10 17:34:27

Progress has been underway in Singapore, Germany, South Korea, China and Australia to develop wing-in-ground-effect (WIG) vessels that travel close to the water surface. While these vehicles may lift-off from and touch down on designated oceanic seaplane runways, there may also be a logistical case for these vehicles to touch down on and lift off from coastal airports. At the present time, transportation officials in different nations hold different views on the issue. Introduction Aeronautical engineers were puzzled when they...

Future India - China Container Transshipment Cooperation

By Harry Valentine 2018-10-27 18:51:57

Over the past several years, the BRIC member nations of India and China have experienced vibrant economic growth. While India develops a major transshipment port in their southwestern region, China has helped develop the transshipment terminal at nearby Colombo, Sri Lanka and is assisting the development of the Port of Gwadar at Pakistan. Despite economic rivalry between India and China, there appears to be prospects for the two nations to cooperate on civilian maritime trade transportation. Introduction Over the past...

Critics, Container Numbers and Transshipment Terminals

By Harry Valentine 2018-10-24 22:23:27

Some controversy has been brewing along the North American coast as to whether the numbers of containers being processed supports the development of container transshipment terminals. Numbers tell part of a story of events that have already occurred and may even reveal a trend. Historically, transportation executives have periodically disregarded the numbers and successfully made the equivalent of quantum leaps in the transportation services they offer. Introduction For several years, discussion has been underway at several North American coastal locations...

The Future of South African Ports

By Harry Valentine 2018-10-20 18:16:49

Earlier this month, an elected member stood up to address the South African national assembly saying that the nation’s currency, the rand, that dropped to almost have its value against the American dollar since South Africa’s previous president assumed office. Recent related news reports from South Africa have advised that several of South Africa’s state enterprises, including South Africa Airways, the national power company, the national railway company and the national roads department were in serious fiscal difficulty. South Africa’s...

South India’s Game Changer for North American East Coast Ports

By Harry Valentine 2018-10-18 17:18:09

The opening of the enlarged Panama Canal and of Western Mediterranean transshipment ports offered the promise of greatly increased activity for North America’s east coast ports. While container numbers arriving at the ports have increased since neo-Panamax ships replaced the earlier Panamax ships, the numbers have fallen short of initial projections. The transshipment port that is currently under construction in southwestern India, however, promises to be a game changer for at least some of these east coast ports. Introduction The...

The Airborne Crow’s Nest and Modern Navigation

By Harry Valentine 2018-10-09 19:11:18

The old wind driven sailing ships of early periods included a small observation deck nicknamed the crow’s nest located high above the deck and built on to one of the masts. One of the sailors would climb to the crow’s nest with a telescope to gain a long range view of the surroundings from higher elevation. During the early 20th century, some naval ships towed a balloon that carried a gondola from where crew members could gain a long range...

Improved Prospects for Container Ships on the St. Lawrence Seaway

By Harry Valentine 2018-10-06 19:26:09

The St. Lawrence Seaway was completed during the late 1950’s to allow the most popular size of ocean ships on that era to sail to the Great Lakes. Prior to that, a domestic inland ship transportation industry had developed over a period of decades on the Upper Great Lakes and involving mainly bulk carrier vessels. While a very small percentage of ship transport on the Great Lakes involves international ship transport, the operation of a comparatively small container ship between...

The Challenge and Promise of India’s New Container Super-Port

By Harry Valentine 2018-10-02 21:48:18

Inter-city transportation in India includes coastal shipping that carries freight at very competitive tariffs. While container ships of 23,000 TEUs are now entering international service between Asia and Europe, India has yet to open a port capable of berthing and providing service for such ships. Work is underway in the Kerala region of Southwestern India to build a container super-port, under very challenging weather conditions, at Vizhinjam that offers over 18 meters of natural water depth. Introduction Following the upheaval...

Tariffs Could Create New Opportunity for Feeder Services

By Harry Valentine 2018-09-27 08:03:43

Officials at the Panama Canal have lamented that America’s trade dispute with China has the potential to reduce container ship transportation through the canal. Indeed, trade tariffs would likely impact the Panama Canal more seriously than the Suez Canal. Neo-Panamax ships that transit the canal from Pacific to Atlantic sail on to container ports at New Orleans, St Petersburg, Jacksonville, Savannah, Charleston, Norfolk – Newport News, Baltimore, Philadelphia and Newark – New York City. These ships serve a segment of...