George Rebane
Living on a huge manmade island may be the thing of the future for those who can afford it and want to escape from the ever more contested and politically roiling lands that cover about 29% of the Earth’s 197,000,000 sq mi surface. The first of these islands is being built off the Bahamas by an outfit that calls itself The Blue Estate (here). Multiples of such islands are planned to reside off Dubai in the Persian Gulf which are advertised to be miniature havens of German, Swiss, Italian, and Swedish culture. The Blue Estate plan envisions an island measuring 1,500 by 1,000 meters as shown below.
The island’s size, modular construction, and high (130ft) free board, augmented by another 100+ foot extendable windwalls, we are told will assure the structure’s calm survival in the roughest of hurricanes. The island will also have propulsion and guidance so that it can transit open ocean areas to avoid storms.
Yet to be explained is to what extent the island will be energy self-sufficient using solar, wind, and wave energy extraction technologies. Its home area will be in international waters, minutes by air away from Miami and Bahamian towns. Apparently, food and other consumables will be imported.
The community will also be economically self-sufficient by being home to clean commercial enterprises and the successfully retired. The commercial activities will be heavily IT oriented with ample satellite connectivity. I can envision that it might also be home to small R&D firms engaged in computer science, genomics, and similar areas. Located in a tropical sea with abundant (300+ days/yr) sunshine, the island can also operate a sizeable nearby sea farm containing various flora supported by an underwater matrix which will give rise to a whole new ecosystem of rich sea life similar to what exist around oil drilling platforms and the Navy’s ‘kelp farm’ (off San Clemente Island) on which I worked years ago.
One of the potential attractions of such seaborne communities may be their ability to provide social stability through a discriminative selection of residents. It is clear to me that some such island communities will emphasize cultural cohesion of their residents. Offering such cohesive environments seems to be the goal of the planned Persian Gulf islands that will focus on providing culture-specific resort living and holidays.
As an entrepreneur and systems nerd, I am drawn to the dreaming and planning of such habitats, and in the present case could go on for pages contemplating different concepts and their supporting technical, commercial, environmental, educational, cultural, … support systems and institutions. But to me the problem of having the seas support a considerable population of such islands in different parts of the world will come down to the solution of the inevitable political problems that will arise and need solutions that can be implemented globally.
Because these island communities will attract (and be limited to) the smart, productive, and ‘financially capable’ people, they will naturally become hotbeds of wealth generation. And they will therefore become tax and tariff prey for the land-based political grifters who maintain their collectivist regimes by bamboozling their poor and huddled masses yearning to be free. These people need state supplied succor that their political leaders will not allow them to generate for all the reasons we have discussed in these pages.
In such political landscapes those who can will escape to available locales with lower taxes, regulations, and abundant liberties. This we see happening in today’s American migrations, and have witnessed for decades (centuries?) in Europe and Asia where the productive congregate in enclaves such as Singapore, Taiwan, and formerly Hong Kong. Therefore, new political paradigms need to be discovered if the financially and culturally attractive island communities are to thrive and multiply. Else the early ones will just be economically harvested to oblivion by the land-based stifling autocracies that see such free and enterprising enclaves as low-hanging fruit.
Much more to be said about all this.
My first thought is that pirates will view this like pirates viewed Spanish galleons in the 1500/1600s. And yes, Virginia - there are still pirates just as there is still a slave trade.
Only now they have smart phones.
Posted by: Scott O | 12 February 2021 at 05:24 PM
ScottO 524pm - Well, the population of one of these islands is supposed to be in the thousands, and I'm sure there will be a collection of guns on board and some security that is not that far off. The only thing to fear for the residents is a nearby nation that will demand tribute payments for, maybe, 'security'. But then again, that would make them pirates and support your point. Hmmm ...
Posted by: George Rebane | 12 February 2021 at 08:23 PM
George - "...I'm sure there will be a collection of guns on board..."
Is that in the sales brochure?
I doubt anyone would try to board the 'island' with a dagger in their teeth and a cutlass in their free hand.
It's a small city, a 'community'. If they want to thumb their nose at the world, they can hardly expect protection from anyone beyond those they pay.
And if those they pay start to get the idea there might be more 'fun' and better money upfront from simply taking over...
Sounds like a movie!
George - you've got money - I'll scare up a script.
There must be plenty of actors that can't get work in Hollyweird these days...
Don't worry - the production company will be inclusive and equitable.
Posted by: Scott O | 12 February 2021 at 09:19 PM