Heat maps of all criteria analyzed in the location study are presented below.
- Environmental Criteria
- Economic Criteria
- Proximity to consumers with disposable income (GDP)
- Regulatory Burden
- Proximity to major urban economic center
- Proximity to land-based data availability
- Proximity to active data line
- Aggregated Economic Criteria
- 3 Legal and Political Criteria
- Shipstead Overall Results
- Metropolistead Overall Results
Environmental Criteria
Air Temperature
Transformation Function: Air Temperature
| Score | Degrees (C) | Degrees (F) |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 24 – 27 | 75.2 – 80.6 |
| 80 | 27 – 30 | 80.6 – 86 |
| 60 | 30 – 33 | 86 – 91.4 |
| 40 | 33 – 37 | 91.4 – 98.6 |
| 40 | 15 – 18 | 59 – 64.3 |
| 20 | > 37 | > 98.6 |
| 20 | < 15 | < 59 |
Locations were scored based the 90th percentile of the data points in the data history.
Source: ECMWF 40 years reanalysis
Bathymetry
Transformation Function: Bathymetry
| Score | Depth (meters) |
|---|---|
| 100 | 0 – 300 |
| 80 | 300 – 600 |
| 60 | 600 – 1,000 |
| 40 | 1,000 – 1,500 |
| 20 | 1,500 or deeper |
Source: NOAA ETOPO1 Global Relief Bedrock Model
Currents, 90th percentile
Transformation Function: Current speed
| Score | Value (m/s) |
|---|---|
| 100 | < 0.5 |
| 80 | 0.5 – 0.75 |
| 60 | 0.75 – 1 |
| 40 | 1 – 1.5 |
| 20 | > 1.5 |
Source: NOAA Ocean Surface Current Analyses (OSCAR)
Wave height, 90th percentile
Transformation Function: Wave height
| Score | Value (m) |
|---|---|
| 100 | 0 – 1 |
| 80 | 1 – 2 |
| 60 | 2 – 3 |
| 40 | 3 – 4 |
| 20 | 4 – 5 |
| 1 | > 5 |
The heat map shows the 90th percentile of the monthly averages of significant wave height for the past 40 years.
Source: ECMWF 40-year reanalysis Significant Wave Height
Wind speed, 90th percentile
Transformation Function: Wind speed
| Score | Value (m/s) |
|---|---|
| 100 | 0 – 5 |
| 80 | 5 – 8 |
| 60 | 8 – 11 |
| 40 | 11 – 14 |
| 20 | > 14 |
Each location was scored based on average wind speed in meters per second (m/s), specifically the 90th percentile of all data points in the time history.
Source: ECMWF 40 year reanalysis 10m U Wind Component
Aggregated Environmental Criteria
Economic Criteria
Proximity to consumers with disposable income (GDP)
Transformation Function: GDP
| Score | GDP ranking* |
|---|---|
| 100 | 0 – 17 |
| 75 | 18 – 35 |
| 50 | 36 – 70 |
| 10 | Other countries |
*Value is not based on GDP per capita per se, but on the ranking of GDP per capita for all countries. For instance “1 – 17” corresponds to the highest 17 GDP per capita countries in the world; these countries would be scored 100, meaning “most favorable” to seasteading.
Source: CIA Fact book Per Capita PPP GDP
Degree of regulatory burden
Transformation Function: Regulatory Burden
| Score | Regulatory Burden |
|---|---|
| 100 | Moderate to Heavy |
| 80 | Moderately Free |
| 65 | Mostly Free |
| 40 | Free |
| 10 | Repressed |
(Scores based on the economic rating of the country that has maritime claims on the given ocean location)
Source: The Seasteading Institute Heritage Index Layer, Thematic Mapping World Borders 0.3
Proximity to major urban economic center
Transformation Function: Proximity to Urban Economic Center
| Score | Value (Hours) |
|---|---|
| 100 | < 1 |
| 75 | 1 – 2 |
| 55 | 2 – 3 |
| 40 | 3 – 4 |
| 32 | 4 – 8 |
| 20 | 8 – 16 |
| 5 | > 16 |
(Scores based on the travel time on a high-speed ferry from the nearest major urban area, defined as having a population greater than 500,000 people)
Source: Nordpil World Database of Large Urban Areas 1950 – 2050
Proximity to land-based data availability
Transformation Function: Proximity to land-based Internet
| Score | Value (km) |
|---|---|
| 100 | 0 – 15 |
| 90 | 15 – 60 |
| 50 | 60 – 160 |
| 30 | 160 – 500 |
| 1 | > 500 |
(Location scores are based on distance from nearest shoreline.)
Proximity to active data line
Transformation Function: Proximity to Active Data Line
| Score | Value (km) |
|---|---|
| 100 | 0 – 15 |
| 90 | 15 – 45 |
| 65 | 45 – 60 |
| 50 | 60 – 150 |
| 30 | 150 – 500 |
| 10 | > 500 |
(Score locations based on their distances from existing undersea data lines.)
Source: Compilation from numerous publicly available sources
Aggregated Economic Criteria
Legal and Political Criteria
Dangerous Regions
Transformation Function: Dangerous Regions
| Score | Piracy/Proximity to Dangerous Region |
|---|---|
| 100 | No pirate activity |
| 1 | Within EEZ of dangerous region |
Dangerous Regions based on US State Dept. Travel Advisories, Borders determined from Thematic Mapping World Borders 0.3
Shipstead Overall Results
Metropolistead Overall Results
©2012 The Seasteading Institute