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.

International Ports Capable of Serving Mega-Sized Winged Ships

By Harry Valentine 2019-03-14 18:38:24

Large-scale wing-in-ground effect vehicles that carry priority freight internationally will require arrival terminals and special water runways along which to accelerate in order to transfer into ground effect mode. The coastal world offers numerous suitable locations. Introduction There are possible market applications for large-scale ground effect transportation technology capable of carrying containers internationally on both overnight transportation service as well as extended-distance trans-oceanic service. A market niche is emerging for overnight freight transportation service between many pairs of coastal cities...

South Africa’s Evolving Case to Increase Coastal Shipping

By Harry Valentine 2019-03-09 19:52:33

In recent years, South Africa has downsized its domestic railway freight network with the closure of many branch lines, and now long line-ups of big trucks carry coal to some of South Africa’s coal-fired power stations. So, like many other African nations, South Africa’s economy depends on truck transportation. The increasing number of heavy trucks carrying freight over long distances has taken a toll on South Africa’s deteriorating road network while the crime rate has escalated in response to high...

Magnetic North Relocation and Future Maritime Navigation

By Harry Valentine 2019-02-23 19:05:12

Recent scientific reports have advised about magnetic north drifting toward Siberia, and steps are being undertaken to assist international transportation in regard to directional accuracy. The combination of relocation of magnetic north, carbon induced global warming and a possible cyclical reduction in solar energy output has numerous implications that can affect future shipping and even future trade. Introduction Scientific studies undertaken into the earth’s history have revealed several extraordinary occurrences of long ago. During an earlier time of perhaps 10,000-years...

Current Economic Opportunities at the Strait of Gibraltar

By Harry Valentine 2019-02-16 18:40:07

The combination of weather driven, climate driven and oceanic dynamics has caused a continually flowing water current at the Strait of Gibraltar. It has been revealed in data pertaining to rainfall and evaporation in the region and offers future ocean-based economic development opportunity in the region. Introduction A televised nature documentary has revealed that evaporation across the Mediterranean Sea removes three times the volume of water as the combined volume of rainfall over the sea and rivers flowing into the...

Ports Competing for ULCVs Along North America’s East Coast

By Harry Valentine 2019-02-14 17:33:05

When ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs) of 18,000-TEU capacity first entered service, very few major ports could berth and provide service to them. At present, several East Coast ports that include Jacksonville, Savannah, Ports of Virginia, Baltimore and Philadelphia have been developed to berth and provide service to neo-Panamax size of ships. While South Carolina Ports Authority has authorized the deepening of the navigation channel to Leatherman terminal to 52 feet (16 meters), the authority would be wise to recognize the...

A Market Niche Seeking a Transportation Technology

By Harry Valentine 2019-02-09 20:01:58

While maritime transportation offers the lowest costs per container, a portion of the market seeks fast delivery of their containers. This market niche sends containers by rail between China and Europe, at higher transportation costs, and it is extending across the ocean where an evolving technology could carry containers much faster than ships and at much lower rates than heavy-lift freight aircraft. Introduction A market for faster transportation of containers has been developing over several years. Across extended distances separated...

Small Watercraft Innovation and Future Propulsion

By Harry Valentine 2019-01-26 20:47:05

A recent innovation applied to the most basic form of watercraft offers potential for alternative future propulsion. Innovative lateral thinking resulted in the installation of a hydrofoil based on the equivalent of the wing layout of a scale model aircraft under a surfboard. It has revolutionized recreational surfing and has been applied to small watercraft. Introduction The history of maritime transportation includes a multitude of innovations that over a period of centuries, has steadily improved water-based transportation. Some of...

An Organic Rankin Engine from Electratherm.

Nuclear Propulsion Along Inland Waterways

By Harry Valentine 2019-01-19 19:23:44

Using mobile thermal storage batteries, small numbers of micro-scale nuclear reactors at fixed locations could provide propulsive energy for fleets of vessels that sail along inland waterways as well as railway locomotives used for shunting at terminals or short line railway service. Relevant developments have occurred in fixed location thermal storage, mobile thermal storage and engine technology that combined, could offer cost-competitive maritime propulsion. Introduction During his career, renowned management professor CK Prahalad illustrated that new possibilities...

Ducted Propellers Could Boost Marine Wildlife Safety

By Harry Valentine 2019-01-13 16:04:58

Environmentalists and animal rights activists have for long sounded the alarm about boat propellers inflicting injuries on aquatic mammals and marine wildlife. To protect people, life guards at public beaches use powered watercraft built with inboard propellers and water-jet propulsion, while recent advances have occurred in boat propulsion system layouts that install the propeller inside a duct. Canada is one of the nations to have recently enacted legislation aimed at protecting marine wildlife from injuries inflicted by powered watercraft. Legal...

The Village of Castleton-on-Hudson looking north to Campbell Island and Albany NY

An Option for a Montreal – New York City River Cruise

By Harry Valentine 2019-01-06 17:56:04

It is presently possible for small private watercraft to sail between the shorter and more direct inland waterway route from New York City to the Lower Saint Lawrence River east of Montreal. However, a large commercial river cruise vessel carrying tourists could sail into the southern region of Canada’s Richelieu River and as far as the quaint Quebec town of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, located some 25 miles (40 kilometers) from Montreal. Introduction Following the demise of trans-oceanic passenger ship services that lost...