Seasteading location criteria

Heat maps of all criteria analyzed in the location study are presented below.

Environmental Criteria

Air Temperature

Air temperature, 90th percentile

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

Bathymetry Bathymetry, reclassed

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

Currents, 90th percentile Currents, 90th percentile, reclassed

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

Wave height, 90th percentile Wave height, 90th percentile, reclassed

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

Wave height, 90th percentile Wind speed, 90th percentile, reclassed

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

Aggregated Environmental Criteria

Economic Criteria

Proximity to consumers with disposable income (GDP)

GDP, reclassed

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

Regulatory burden, reclassed

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

Regulatory burden, reclassed

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

Land-based Internet availability, reclassed

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

Proximity to active data line, reclassed

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

Aggregated Economic Criteria

Dangerous Regions

Dangerous Regions, reclassed

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

Shipstead Overall Results

Metropolistead Overall Results

Metropolistead Overall Results