I'm guessing we haven't priced in the risk of 100K-ton cargo vessels or tankers knocking down bridges into the cost of doing business.

If I were the All-Being, Master of Time, Space and Dimension, I'd issue a requirement that all vessels over a certain tonnage, transiting through channels passing beneath a bridge or power lines not only have a pilot aboard, but be escorted by a tug with sufficient power to wrestle the vessel away from any vital infrastructure in the event of a loss of power or rudder control. And such vessels travel at a reduced speed such that the mighty little tug can make its way between the unguided missile and a sudden economic downturn in time.

Engineers can compute the mass and velocity figures to determine what vessels would be required to observe the new regulations. Costs of dedicated tug escorts on standby 24x7 to be borne by shipping companies, passed along, as they inevitably are, to their customers.

Last time this happened was 44 years ago. What are the odds it's going to happen again anytime soon? Is it worth the risk? I'd say "Better safe than sorry," but what do I know?

Originally posted at Nice Marmot 12:51 Thursday, 28 March 2024