The World in 2030

The World in 2030 123
a foul brown miasma which contributes heavily to the
region’s high carbon output and to appalling public health
and Turkish mortality figures. 242
However, some technological breakthroughs are
occurring which are allowing new ships to run far more
cleanly. Interestingly, these developments are being made
in the region responsible for most of the growth in global
shipping. A news story published in China makes the
following claims:
China has made substantial breakthroughs in shipbuilding
as the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) ship
made in China, one of the most advanced in the
world, will be delivered in September.
The boat with a capacity of 47,200 cubic meters is
under construction by the Hudong-Zhonghua Shipbuilding,
a subsidiary of the China State Shipbuilding
Corporation (CSSC), China’s top and the world’s
third largest shipping group.
Another four such LNG vessels also under construction
would be delivered in the end of this year while
the research and development for LNG ships with a
capacity of 200,000 cubic meters is underway. 243
And sail power may even make a come-back both to save
shipping fuel and to reduce carbon emissions. The German
company Sky Sails 244 is now marketing giant ‘kite-style’
plastics-based sails for large ships to use during their long
ocean crossings. The company claims: