Since the October newsletter we’ve been researching what it would take to shift our plans to instead using a used mega container ship. There’s so much we’ve learned but we’re not done yet. The plan is to have rough financial estimates and details we can present to the UN in the hopes we can get funding to help refugees who wish to flee from the ongoing Hamas / Israeli war. We hope that the project would still cost $260 million for 4,000 cabins for 10 years, but we are still in the process of updating the project estimates.

1. Buying a used mega container ship and converting it to the floating port city of New Liberty

Each year the largest container ship (by TEU capacity) record is broken - usually at a price cheaper than the previous year.

(Image from: https://porteconomicsmanagement.org/pemp/contents/part1/ports-and-container-shipping/largest-available-containership-teus/ )

But it seems like they just can't build container ships fast enough to meet growing demand. Hopefully that means an increase in future production.

While the estimated cost of the Freedom Haven project is much more than just the cost of buying the ship, it's worth talking about the cost of container ships.

The cost of the 2022 "Ever Alot" was reported at $145 million, and it can hold 24,004 TEU (twenty-foot long shipping containers). That's $6,040.66 per TEU.

Container ships with half that capacity cost a little more than half as much - but it fluctuates based on fluctuating volatile market forces. The smaller the container ship, the more the per-TEU cost goes up, the less efficient the ship is, and the smaller the remaining life-span the used ship has. Wikipedia reports that "Cargo ships ... generally have a life expectancy of 25 to 30 years before being scrapped."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cargo_ship

For our 4,000 TEU cabin project, I believe we'll need around 12,000-16,000 TEUs (4,000 for the cabins and 8,000-12,000 for the hallways, stairs, lost above-deck volume, etc). That's half of the capacity of the current largest container ships (of which the 2023 MSC Irina, MSC Loreto, and MSC Michel Cappellini are the current record holders at 24,346 TEUs). This means we're looking for something like the Maersk E-class container ships (built between 2006 and 2008) which hold around 15,000 TEU. All these E-class container ships appear to still be in service, and I would expect that any that any that are up for resale might cost around $95-$100 million.

(Image from: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Price-of-second-hand-container-ships-3-000-15-000-TEU-Unit-USD-Million_fig1_318344957 )

We can't really control which ships are sold and at what price, but such sales do happen, and the recent influx of cheaper and much larger mega container ships has pushed the prices down considerably from this point. For example:

The vintage S-class 8,160 TEU Sovereign Maersk “is assessed as worth $36.5m by VesselsValue, up from $18m just two years ago, but down from an astonishing $121m in May 2022 in peak markets."
In 2018, a Monaco shipping company bought a used 8-year-old 10K TEU container ship for $50.25 million.

The Emma Maersk (built in 2006) is beginning to show her age at age 17.

(Image from: https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/photos/of/ships/shipid:159196/shipname:EMMA%20MAERSK?order=date_uploaded )

Emma's beam (width at deck level) is 56 meters and can hold 22 TEUs along that width and stacked up to 17 TEUs high. In comparison, the newest largest container ships have a beam of 61.3/61.5 meters and can hold 24 TEUs along that width and stacked up to 25 TEUs high.

Here's the Emma Maersk's General Arrangement:

(Image from https://www.vesseltracking.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/emma-maersk-skizze.jpg )

A good efficient and lightweight loading/unloading solution, built around the existing structure, is needed for a vessel that plans on having imports/exports while remaining permanently out at sea.

Super post-Panamax ship-to-shore Cranes weigh around 1,500 metric tons, and I can imagine that one built into a ship would weigh twice that (since it has to be stronger since the ship sways, producing extra side forces). Normally, this would make the ship top heavy, but since 3,000 tons is only 2% of the total (DWT) tons (156,907) Emma Maersk can hold, it might be possible to reduce the above-deck TEUs and maintain good stability.

Join the discussion at:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/LibertarianSeasteading/posts/1441409209771973/

2. A draft proposal to the international community

With the needed funding that we would need to prepare the New Liberty vessel and maintain it for 10 years, we could take in 5,000 Gaza Strip Palestinians, on condition that:

It might take 3 years to make the needed arrangements (buy and modify a used mega container ship),
our Freedom Haven constitution stays intact (enabling the world's economically and socially freest free-market),
the Freedom Haven’s laws are complied with (with proven violators being sent back to the Gaza Strip, to be replaced by non-violent replacements),
on-time transportation to AND from the New liberty structure are paid for (the return trip is only used if needed for banished refugees, or if people wish to leave),
the Freedom Haven flag is recognized by the UN (and IMO) as an independent nation flag registry situated OUTSIDE the EEZ, and a F.H. representative is allowed to give updates to the UN and answer questions,
the population from Gaza Strip would arrive in smaller groups of perhaps 100 people per week over the course of 50-ish weeks (allowing the current group to get situated, get familiar with the place and start the jobs they choose before the next group arrives), and
no children or incapacitated people are included without the corresponding parents/providers (21 years old or older) that would be working and providing for them while living in Freedom Haven - the arrangement has to pass approval.
(Note: In a free market, this issue fixes itself, but it'll help avoid the appearance that the free market has failed if the UN ships 5,000 toddlers to Freedom Haven without any providers and then wonders why they didn't take care of themselves - each weekly group is expected to care for themselves using the opportunities afforded in a free market - no government welfare awaits them if they do.)

It is assumed that after 10 years all refugees would have acclimated and gotten jobs to pay for the continued rent in the existing vessel or a new vessel/location of their choice on their own.

Only a small percentage of the 2 million currently in the Gaza Stripe would be a match:

many/most may not want to leave
many/most may embrace the violent revenge-based traditions of the culture of their region (which would disqualify them from entering into Freedom Haven since it violates Freedom Haven's Constitution and immigration requirements), and
many/most may be too scared to vocalize their desire to leave while in the presence of those with violent tendencies or who threat harm on them.

The "United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East" (UNRWA) would likely be the area of the UN handling this. They receive around $1 billion annually in funding, but there are allegations of corruption, including that much of the funds go towards funding the violence in the Gaza Strip, so there are some complications to consider.

Join the discussion at:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/LibertarianSeasteading/posts/1446728389240055/

Question from our members

From Jack Barsoome (paraphrased):

“What are the Freedom Haven flag symbols and what do they mean?”

There are 3 symbols in the Freedom Haven flag:

The colors: Black and Yellow are often associated with anarcho-capitalism which is what Freedom Haven implements.
The stripes: The 13 stripes represents the original 13 colonies of the United States of America and calls back to the classical liberalism that our founding fathers sought for. This is a reminder of what we’re building off of and where we came from.
Libertas: The likeness of the italian goddess “Libertas” was captured by the french artist Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi in the large statue that stands in New York harbor. While Americans sometimes see this as a symbol that means “America”, most of the rest of the world sees this as a symbol that means “Liberty”, which is the foundation of Freedom Haven.

If you have a question you would like answered, please post your question on our facebook group or contact us through any of our other social media accounts or email.

October Contest Winners

During the monthly public Freedom Haven meeting in November, the participants voted on the winners of the October #FH2023BestMarketingIdea entry winners. Congratulations on the following who won the following amazon gift cards.

$10: Tony Olsen:
Work with UN/Israel/etc to accept 5,000 Palestinian refugees out of the battle area on condition of no revenge peace
https://www.facebook.com/groups/LibertarianSeasteading/permalink/1432580227321538/?mibextid=oMANbw
$6: Paul Priest:
“3D print the concrete platform design, showing how multiple units function together. Bring this and show it at presentations.”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/LibertarianSeasteading/permalink/1419429158636645/?mibextid=oMANbw
$4: Don Lee Corrington:
“Use the Maslow’s Hierarchy Of Needs and answer how FH would help each group.”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/LibertarianSeasteading/permalink/1431569944089233/?mibextid=oMANbw

Come participate in each month’s contest and help vote on the previous months’ winners during the monthly public Freedom Haven meetings.

Upcoming Events

Online calendar can be found here: https://freedomhaven.org/events/

12/2/2023 1pm central: Monthly Freedom Haven project casual face-to-face (first Saturday of each month at the same time).
For this meeting we’ll be choosing the November contest winners, upcoming contests & prizes, parade participation, future plans, and member questions. All sincere participants are welcome.
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/4842165597?pwd=QlFkeFovR1ovbW1WWEJJMkl6VWtYZz09

** 2024 **
1/6/2024 1pm central: Monthly Freedom Haven project casual face-to-face (first Saturday of each month at the same time).
6/17-6/23/2024: PorcFest 2024 (Lancaster, NH)
7/10-7/13/2024: FreedomFest 2024 (Las Vegas, NV)
More at: https://freedomhaven.org/events/

Links to recent articles, interviews, podcasts, etc

Online list can be found here: https://freedomhaven.org/articles-and-links/

If you've seen any related recent articles or podcasts not mentioned here, please let us know.

10/24: Zoom meeting with the naval architect Nicholas Barczak, PE where areas of the Freedom Haven project design and plans were refined.
Video: https://youtu.be/0VRjKGupElU
Meeting Take-aways: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vQRcCVAKK5vzKxrbUMuZsmLj78ZuKDQipOvw34mY0IxWuFS18SDPlUWY41sekK_dBOcwSCudcswfU2z/pub
9/4 and 9/9/2023: The Freedom Haven project participation in the 9/4 Keokuk, Iowa, Labor day parade, and fundraising in the 9/9 Fort Madison, Iowa, Rodeo parade.
7/27: Ernest Hancock, from Freedom’s Phoenix, explores some of the details of the Freedom Haven project in this 1 hour and 41 minute podcast. https://www.freedomsphoenix.com/Media/347407-2023-07-25-2023-07-26-ernest-hancock-interviews-anthony-olsen-freedomhaven-org.htm
7/13: Jake Cook, from “Nation of Jake“, interviews Tony Olsen on the subject of the Freedom Haven project on News Talk radio 98.9. 12 minute interview starts at timestamp 19:52 (Click on “Show Description” and then the corresponding “2:33 pm…” section link or listen directly to only the interview).
6/21: Aria and Mr. Nobody at Free Talk Live discuss the Freedom Haven project. (20 minute discussion starts at timestamp 1:16:01 in the stream).
https://freetalklive.com/?ppplayer=a65e130e8b56ac0cda02d6d069031b57&ppepisode=41cc6ffa5f6d0608c081e2962e6d761d
6/19 through 6/22: Raw video of some of the various Freedom Haven presentations that were made at PorcFest 2023.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUEw6a01QHI&list=PLW8gwky7Z_zMN1bOAmIAbde6x3ezBpM_B
4/25: Clips from the Atlas Shrugged Movies that inspired the Freedom Haven project
https://youtu.be/GMYusGkeJqQ
2/20: Freedom Haven mentioned in reference in NBC10 Boston’s report on PorcFest 2022.
https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/life-liberty-and-the-pursuit-of-new-hampshire-an-nbc10-boston-original/2920007/
1/31: Freedom Haven mentioned with other projects in CoinTelegraph magazine’s article: “Why are crypto fans obsessed with micronations and seasteading?” https://cointelegraph.com/magazine/20-wild-attempts-to-create-crypto-micronations-or-communities
1/26/2023: The Seasteading Institute updated the Freedom Haven description on their active projects page: https://www.seasteading.org/active-projects/

** 2022 **
12/23/2022: Update on triangle prism sphere core concrete units that make up the concrete platform: https://grabcad.com/library/2022-12-23-triangle-prism-sphere-core-floating-concrete-unit-28-single-only-1
11/16: Update on concrete platform design (with link to CAD files and 3D model webpage): https://www.facebook.com/groups/LibertarianSeasteading/posts/1235996050313291/
(Previous 10/06 update can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=5740571545963066 )
11/13: Annual Archive of the Freedom Haven Project: Everything that anyone would need to pick up the project where we left off. We are committed to remaining an Open-Design project.

Contains most recent model files, images, and web site and group backups.
Does NOT contain: list of unencrypted patrons, since only those who wish to have their names appear publicly are shared unencrypted.
Available in 2 formats:

Torrent P2P sharing: https://freedomhaven.org/Tony/FreedomHaven/FreedomHavenProject.torrent
Google drive 7z compressed file (viewers will need 7-zip to uncompress the file – also may only work from desktop computers): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wfEVOkq5DGI0R6osR56GMHWO8GK2ICFJ/view?usp=sharing

Financial update: https://freedomhaven.org/Tony/FreedomHaven/FreedomHavenFinancialGoalsUpdate.png . More at: https://freedomhaven.org/articles-and-links/

How can you help the project

If you haven’t already, become a patron by donating $5 to our Freedom Haven exploratory campaign (aka: Phase 2):
https://freedomhaven.org/plan/
Participate in the monthly ideas contests and help us discover good solutions and help encourage the participation of others
Help market the project through your own innovative imaginative grass-roots efforts
Invite your courageous, pro-freedom friends to the “Gathering Freedom Haven” group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/LibertarianSeasteading
Volunteer your time to the project: www.facebook.com/groups/FreedomHavenVolunteers/

(Last updated 11/30/2023)

Monthly Freedom Haven constitution section mini-overview

The Preamble of Freedom Haven Constitution:
We the individual People, in order to secure the human right to defend ourselves, to limit the scope of Government, and to secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, so that we can have the chance to learn, grow, and work towards achieving our greatest individual divine potentials (so that through our efforts, and without compulsory means, prosperity may flow unto us forever and ever), do ordain and establish this Constitution for the Provinces that form the Country of Freedom Haven.

LIFE, FREEDOM and PROPERTY

Each individual person has the human right to maintain and control his or her own personal Life, personal Freedom, and personal Property, after the corresponding age of consent has been reached.

Join the discussion on this section at this link:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/FreedomHavenGov/posts/1836465593537426/