Puerto Rico won’t work until the economic obstacles are removed such as the Jones Act and being held to federal minimum wage. And even if you built the necessary shipbuilding infrastructure, you would still have a major logistics problem – like how to get the steel there.
Considering the issue, this site alleges that a large container
ship which can carry almost 24k TEU (twenty-foot equivalence units) has about 220k tons of steel in it. At today’s price of $700 per ton of steel (which is probably not the same ton as the early one nor the right alloy mix), that’s about $150 million just in steel. Access to cheaper steel (and labor) would be a significant advantage.
Look at the Constellation class frigates: Supposedly 85% an existing design but thanks to the Navy fecking around with it, it’s about 15% existing design.
They need to do what NASA did with COTS and build up manufacturing capabilities with new companies.
Considering how expensive land is around existing facilities, we also need shipyards in new locations. Where are some good spots? Puerto Rico?
Puerto Rico won’t work until the economic obstacles are removed such as the Jones Act and being held to federal minimum wage. And even if you built the necessary shipbuilding infrastructure, you would still have a major logistics problem – like how to get the steel there.
Considering the issue, this site alleges that a large container
ship which can carry almost 24k TEU (twenty-foot equivalence units) has about 220k tons of steel in it. At today’s price of $700 per ton of steel (which is probably not the same ton as the early one nor the right alloy mix), that’s about $150 million just in steel. Access to cheaper steel (and labor) would be a significant advantage.
Mainly because of the US Navy.
Look at the Constellation class frigates: Supposedly 85% an existing design but thanks to the Navy fecking around with it, it’s about 15% existing design.