If a hijacked supertanker is steaming fast towards a densely populated seaport, what can be done to stop it? John Rogitz of San Diego has an answer. He says GPS should be used to monitor the course of all tankers and that ships should be fitted with an automatic engine and rudder override (US 2003/69672).
So if GPS readings show a tanker speeding off course, the ship’s engines can be shut down and the rudder locked hard over to an appropriate – and safe – direction. So the tanker begins to slow down, turning away from its target, and eventually stopping.…
