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