This paper presents a method for analyzing transport properties of com
peting ship types of interest for high speed commercial transport Simp
le parametric relationships link requirements (speed, range, and cargo
weight) to design characteristics (installed power ship weight, and f
uel weight) for conventional and unconventional hull designs. These de
sign trends are supported by data for a variety of ship types (monohul
l, catamaran, SES, hydrofoil, airship, ekranoplan) either currently or
formerly in service. While the method is inherently general, the data
selected is focused on large ships capable of transporting heavy carg
os over trans-oceanic distances at speeds of 40-100 knots.