|
Freedom Ship: the Floating City
 Life
on this planet could be very different very soon. The most basic
of resources, space, will quickly run out as the exponential growth
of the population continues.
In few decades, few centuries at most, overcrowding might force
the inhabitants of Earth to devise new styles of life. Many focus
on space colonization as a solution. But the most likely option
is another one: the colonization of the oceans, and of the ocean
beds.
In the same way in which space turism is already a serious business
opportunity, also oceans colonization is at the moment a business.
An idea of the scale of such projects can be obtained by examining
the Freedom Ship project, a plan (well under way) for the construction
of the first oceanic community, a proper floating city-state of
up to 40 thousand people.
Attractive artwork and creative architecture will grace the ship.
Parks and promenades will boast waterfalls, ponds, and extensive
landscaping. Most levels will feature large saltwater aquariums.
The shopping mall, one of the world's largest, will also be one
of its most beautiful. Portions will be dedicated to individual
countries, featuring culturally characteristic architectures. A
100-foot-wide main deck will lead to a marina at the stern. Over
200 acres of open area will be available for recreation and relaxation.
Freedom Ship's Primary Objectives are to:
- Provide a unique, traveling residential community, combining the
amenities of a modern city with those of the finest resorts, in
an attractive, stimulating, and secure environment.
- Create a vigorous commercial community whose privately owned and
operated on board enterprises will sell their products and services
world-wide and operate totally free of local taxes and duties.
- Establish the world's largest duty-free retail shopping mall and
bring it to markets around the world with a steady and substantial
stream of resident and visiting customers.
The sales brochure describes the project as follows:
"Envision an ideal place to live or run a business—a friendly,
safe and secure community with large areas of open space and extensive
entertainment and recreational facilities.
Imagine that this community levies no local taxes—no income tax,
no real estate tax, no sales tax, no business tax, no import duties.
Finally, picture this community continually moving around the world.
You are beginning to understand Freedom Ship, a soon to be constructed,
massive ocean-going vessel. With a length of 4,320 feet, a width
of 725 feet, and a height of 340 feet, Freedom Ship will be one
of the wonders of the world—a mobile modern city featuring luxurious
living, a major world trade center, and an extensive duty-free international
shopping mall.
Freedom Ship is not a cruise ship, but a fascinating and unique
place to live, work, retire, vacation, or visit. The ship will continuously
circle the globe, covering most of the world's coastal regions.
Its large fleet of commuter aircraft and hydrofoils will ferry residents
and visitors to and from shore.
The airport on the ship's top deck will serve private and small
commercial aircraft (up to about 40 passengers). The vessel's superstructure,
rising twenty-five stories above its broad main deck, will house
residential space, a library, schools, and a first-class hospital
in addition to retail and wholesale shops, banks, hotels, restaurants,
entertainment facilities, casinos, offices, warehouses, and light
manufacturing and assembly enterprises. Finally, a wide array of
recreational and athletic facilities, worthy of a world class resort,
will make Freedom Ship a veritable "Community on the Sea.".
As it circumnavigates the world, Freedom Ship will make a series
of offshore stops, including exotic tropical islands accessible
only by sea. These stops will provide the ship's residents and entrepreneurs
with extensive and varied touring and business opportunities, and
bring a continual stream of visitors onto to the ship to patronize
its shops, restaurants, and entertainment facilities.
The ship will provide as many as 40,000 tourists to ports around
the world. These cities and countries will eagerly anticipate this
influx, as well as the major market the ship represents for local
farmers, fishermen, and merchants. Stopover schedules will be based
on business volume and touring popularity. Customers, merchants,
businessmen, and residents will be able to utilize the ship's fleet
of aircraft and hydrofoils, as well as commercial commuter airlines,
to come and go from the ship even between stopovers.
|
