Who is Blue Frontiers?

Founded in 2017 by members of The Seasteading Institute and a former minister of French Polynesia, Blue Frontiers has a diverse team from around the world, working on developing floating islands in French Polynesia. It is now independently responsible for all aspects of the project.

Blue Frontiers aims to build an ecosystem of products and services to promote sea level rise resiliency, sustainable development, and societal innovation.

The project consists of constructing ecological floating platforms in a lagoon of French Polynesia that could offer a response to the challenges of rising sea levels and sustainable development.

These platforms would also provide a basis for homes, offices and infrastructure to encourage the formation of vibrant communities and explore new ways of living together.

At the same time, we want to promote innovation in digital and marine technologies by creating an attractive destination benefiting from its unique framework.

The Institute was in the process of evaluating potential host countries when it was invited by a Polynesian to consider French Polynesia, given the many strengths of the region:

The Polynesian government will fund neither the studies nor the completion of the project. No Polynesian tax dollars will fund Seasteads. No local investors will get tax exemptions either. The Institute estimates that the amount we are going to have to invest in Polynesia will be between 30 to 50 million USD for the pilot phase.

The floating island project will improve the traditional framework of special economic zones with provisions specifically designed to attract investors in French Polynesia. Because free zones already exist elsewhere, we need an innovative legislative framework and streamlined administrative procedures to attract partners and investors.

During our trip to French Polynesia in September 2016, we visited several promising sites. Detailed studies must now be undertaken, taking into account in particular the local residents, the seabed, the currents, and the profile of the wind and waves.

The images on our website come from ideas and studies done before we chose French Polynesia as our host country. Our architects will design floating islands that suit the specific environmental and aesthetic needs of the site we select.

The environment is a major concern of the project, and our architects are very sensitive to protecting it. Our islands are designed to have a negligible impact on the environment, use renewable energies and may even, according to some preliminary studies, lead to an improvement of the ecosystem under certain conditions. We plan to form partnerships for the monitoring of the seabed and to share knowledge about our progress.

The protocol signals the willingness of the government and the Institute to work together. In 2017, Blue Frontiers completed and submitted to the government environmental and economic studies. Following that, the government will develop an appropriate legislative framework for the project.

You can download the text of the protocol (english text at in the second part).

Our partners and companies attracted by this project will contribute to the diversification of the Polynesian economy and help retain local graduates who might otherwise look abroad for opportunities.

Significant investments in construction will spread to the local economy, and businesses and residents will maintain or increase employment with domestic suppliers and traders.

We hope to help place Polynesia at the center of international efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change, notably by developing the technologies needed to maintain populations threatened by rising sea levels in the Tuamotu and elsewhere.

Listen to Minister Jean Christophe Bouissou present the project and its benefits to TNTV:

Read more here:

Floating islands project in French Polynesia The ...

A South Pacific island nation is cutting ties with tech billionaires and libertarians.

In 2017, government officials in French Polynesia signed an agreement with the Seasteading Institute, a group founded by investor and entrepreneur Peter Thiel, that would give the libertarian group access to build a floating and politically autonomous city, called a seastead, off the coast.

Now the country's ruling political party says the agreement has expired.

The ruling Tapura Huiraatira party said in a Facebook post that the memorandum of understanding, a non-binding document that sealed the government's intent to work with the group, had a "deadline of validity" at the end of 2017. The agreement became void in January 2018.

"It's not a contract. This document does not bind the Country [sic] in any way. It has no legal value," the Facebook note said.

Facebook/tapura-huiraatira-officiel

In 2008, Thiel, a longtime tech industry fixture and a Trump transition team member, set out on a mission to develop a floating city that would run independently from existing nations. Thiel invested $1.7 million in The Seasteading Institute, but resigned from its board in 2011.

Thiel later said in an interview that engineering seasteads is "not quite feasible."

After the group's founding in 2008, some tech entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley chastised the idea, saying that the island paradises would be too wild, expensive, and elitist to generate real results.

But the seasteading concept began eventually gathering support from libertarians and people living outside the Silicon Valley bubble. A 2013 crowdfunding campaign raised over $27,000.

For years, the Seasteading Institute wanted to set up camp in international waters. Eventually, the group determined the costs of building hundreds of miles from a shoreline, away from an existing nation, were too extravagant. So the institute decided to team up with a host country.

French Polynesia fit the bill.

The island chain is located an eight-hour flight from Los Angeles. It has a fiber cable that runs underwater to Hawaii, providing the bandwidth that tech workers require.

Rising sea levels threaten French Polynesia's existence, which made a proposal to build new land appealing to the government.

An artist's rendering shows the plans for a seastead off the coast of Tahiti in French Polynesia. Blue Frontiers

In 2016, the Seasteading Institute sent a delegation to meet with French Polynesian officials. They drafted an informal agreement between the government and the Seasteading Institute.

But as the Seasteading Institute plotted its vision, locals from Tahiti the largest island in French Polynesia grew increasingly concerned about the prospect of "tech colonialism."

A documentary film crew followed the Seasteading Institute leadership at a conference in Tahiti last year. They found that locals weren't given much of a voice at these events. In the film, Alexandre Taliercio, a local radio and TV personality, describes the seastead project as a cross between "visionary genius" and "megalomania."

In a 2017 interview with The Guardian, Taliercio argued that rich Americans just want to skip out on paying taxes. "These millionaires have much more to gain than we do," he said.

The Seasteading Institute has not publicly addressed the sunken plans. Its website features a video about the French Polynesian "floating island" splashed across the front page.

Business Insider contacted the Seasteading Institute and did not immediately receive comment.

Read the original:

French Polynesia cuts ties with libertarian Seasteading ...

David Slack: Maybe I found an island

Stuff.co, 4 February, 2018

A seastead is an idea; a floating community at sea. It is a homestead, just like in the John Wayne movies, but on the water, not the prairie; outside the reach of any government.

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WIRED.com, 16 January, 2018

This is one of the most important books Ive ever read. Dave Barr Kirtley, science fiction author & host of Geeks Guide to the Galaxy podcast.

One hour podcast, no edits.

Listen and Read More

The Daily Sentinel, 5 January, 2018

The Seasteading Institute has steadily grown in credibility, its vision no longer considered science fiction, especially because there is now an actual prototype being designed. It involves several private companies, architects, scholars, and now the government of French Polynesia The Institute created a company called Blue Frontiers to construct and operate the proposed city, planned for occupation by the end of this decade. Its artist drawings are fascinating, showing a floating island with houses and commercial buildings attached by floating causeways Perhaps the oceans covering 70 percent of the Earth may really be the next frontier.

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TABI LABO, 4 January, 2018

Japan Media

In preparation for the tsunami disaster due to typhoons and earthquakes, the Seasteading Institute has selected narrow places with little influence of the open oceanWe can hardly imagine ourselves shifting from the present life to the maritime life, but the research of the Seasteading Institute may be drawing attention as a useful techniquelets continue to focus on the magnificent project for the future.

Progrss, 2 January, 2018

Featured on Home Page!

San Franciscan non-profit, The Seasteading Institute, is working towards building self-sufficient and self-reliable floating cities in an attempt to reverse environmental damage and jumpstart the global economy.

The organizations goal is to maximize entrepreneurial freedom and reverse damage accrued to the environment.

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Newshub, 28 December 2017

Marvelous Mainstream TV in New Zealand!

The movement is called sea steading, a man-made floating community that sets its own laws and is self-sustaining, and the first one could be built on our Pacific doorstep in French Polynesia.

Watch and Read More!

Radio New Zealand, 27 December 2017

The creators of a man-made floating island off Tahiti say they want a quarter of its population to be made up of Polynesian people.

`We feel weve convinced the government and a lot of the population theres a real opportunity to work together to improve the lagoon. [Co-founder] Marc Collins said first figures show living there would be affordable and might cost about the same as an apartment in Papeete.

He said Blue Frontiers was still in talks with the French Polynesian government about creating a special regulatory environment for the project which is aimed at attracting investment and talent.

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INHABITAT, 27 December 2017

Inhabitat spoke with architect Simon Nummy and Blue Frontiers co-founder Joe Quirk to hear more about the vision for the worlds first floating city.

`Each building strives for energy independence and the architecture results from this;energy efficiencyandpassivestrategies are vital, Nummy told Inhabitat. `Polynesian architecture is primarily about the roof and we have tried to interpret this in a contemporary, sensitive way that both reflects local precedents whileharvesting rainwaterand discretely maximizing the opportunities for photovoltaics andvertical axis wind turbines.'

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Straits Times, 24 December 2017

With seasteading, we can put tens of thousands or perhaps millions of people on platforms in our lifetime. With the Mars plan, the reality of many people going in our lifetime is slim. Its cool to colonise the solar system, but theres an atmosphere on earth and we can live here. Oceans are the only place were not really living. We should own our own planet first, and it will be much cheaper. How many billions or trillions of dollars would it take to put dozens, not to mention thousands, of people on Mars? posed Randolph Hencken, the executive director of the Seasteading Institute.

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Newsmax TV, 22 December, 2017

Newsmax TV reaches 40 million homes!

My imagination is definitely excited, saysNewsmax host Bill Tucker. This is fascinating. Basically what youre talking about is a free market of government. Dont like this one? Go move to another place. Joe, good luck, really and truly, with the venture. It sounds tremendously exciting.

Watch!

History of an extraordinary project:

Imagine a handful of artificial islands forming an arc of a circle, with houses with raised roofs, offices, laboratories, trade, underwater restaurant and artificial beaches This maritime city, politically autonomous, does not depend on any government!

Read PDFfor free or paid content on-line

La Dpche de Tahiti, 21 December 2017

The initial project of the floating islands of 7,500 square meters on the water could triple in sizemore than 2,000 jobs could be created [by 2030].Blue Frontiers offers a strict environmental impact control framework

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France TV Info, 21 December, 2017

These are young people who believe that we have a better tomorrow, says Marc Collins, ambassador to The Seasteading Institute and Managing Director of Blue Frontiers.

Watch!

CNN Tech, 20 December, 2017

This is a huge score for mainstream acceptance of seasteading.

The US-based Seasteading Institute intends to build a Floating Island Project off the coast of Tahiti. It would consist of cities built on modular platforms. The project could be proof-of-concept for future politically autonomous countries built on water.

Watch!

DailyMail, 18 December 2017

The structures will feature green roofs covered with vegetation and construction will use local bamboo, coconut fibre, and recycled metal and plasticthe project will still need to be approved by the local government, and possibly France, which holds the territory.

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The Sun, 18 December 2017

Great British Press!

`If we can be behind a reef break, then we can design floating platforms that are sufficient for those waters at an affordable cost. We dont have to start from scratch as this is a pilot project. They also have very stable institutions so were able to work with a government that wants us there, that we have respect for and they have respect for us.

Randolph [Hencken] added that he was confident the project could benefit the French Polynesias economy and draw in a fresh wave of tourism.

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O Globo, 18, December, 2017

The consortium believes that by 2050 the Pacific is home to thousands of new city-states.

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Fault Lines, 18 December 2017

Listen!

Business Insider, 17 December 2017

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52-insights, 16 December 2017

A highly eccentric ideafrom the fringes of Silicon ValleyWe talk to American author Joe Quirk.

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Novinky, 14 December 2017

Great Czech Republic Press!

A place on the shores of French Polynesia has already been visited by architects and engineers The floating town of Polynesia is also set to operate in a Special Economic Zone where it is possible to test the ideas of Quirk and his colleagues.The authors of the project want to have their research institute and also a power plant capable of delivering and selling clean energy.

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Mundo, 10 December 2017

Major Brazilian Press!

The Economist (German), 8, December 2017

Stupendous German Press!

Private Cities in International Waters.

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iNews, 8 December 2017

Great British Press!

Floating cities may sound like science fiction, but if Blue Frontiers has its way, about 250 people will be living on about 15 artificial islands in the lagoon by 2020. By 2030, the company hopes to have installed a total of 45 islands and its effort to extend the concept of civilisation into something it likes to call sea-vilisation will be well underway.

Blue Frontiers is the commercial wing of the Seasteading Institute, an organisation committed to building floating startup societies that offer innovative governance models. In Tahiti it will attempt to achieve both aims by locating its islands in a newly created special economic zone that offers latitude to experiment with new ways of running a community.

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Science and Future, 31 November 2017

Great French Press!

The aim of the project is multiple, to the point where we no longer know where to turn our heads: it would be an opportunity to test different modes of governance, to experiment with sustainable technologies (desalination, renewable energies, floating food production), but also constitute scientific marine stations. Or even serve as liferafts for coastal populations displaced by sea level rise.

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Tahiti-Infos, 30 November 2017

Great Tahiti Press!

The floating island project sponsored by the Californian Seasteading Institute is starting to take shape The Polynesian manager of the structure, Marc Collins, confirms to us that [Blue Frontiers] will be on time to respect its commitments towards the Country, with a publication of the environmental and socio-economic impact studies of their artificial island before the end of the year.

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Latina Geeks, 30 November 2017

ICOs to WatchBlue Frontiersis the for-profit arm of theSeasteading Institute, a non-profit that is exploring the concept of building floating societies on man-made islands that will act as self-governing organizations of startups, research labs, and homes.

Blue Frontiers has signed an MOU with French Polynesia (Tahiti) to build a floating island in the protected waters of a Tahitian lagoon, which will be the first of these startup society ecosystems. The Tahitians are on the front lines of climate change, as it is predicted that a third of the Tahitian Islands will be underwater by 2100. As a people, Tahitians are aware of their need to find options to keep their cultural traditions and people alive beyond climate change impact. Tahitians also consider themselves the original Seasteaders as they have been sailing and living at sea their entire history.

With seasteading as a viable option in the coming decades, we can look beyond the frustration of modern political systems. Peacefully exploring alternative methods of governance for the betterment of humanity is worthy of pursuit.

~ Randy Hencken, Cofounder Blue-Frontiers

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Original post:

Press Mentions The Seasteading Institute

Not affiliated with The Seasteading Institute (TSI), but huge supporters. Recommend visiting them: http://seasteading.org/

Contribute to the TSI Wiki

What is Seasteading? [Patri Friedman]

Infographic: How Seasteading Can Improve the World

Joe Quirk's new book is out: "Seasteading: How Ocean Cities Will Change The World"

The Steasteading Institute (TSI) resources:

STOP FIGHTING: How seasteading can improve the world (video)

TSI Floating City Project Report shows that there exists a market for seasteading now, that seasteads can be built within the price point of this market, and that host nations are likely to offer significant political autonomy.

Read the TSI|Delta-Sync "Seasteading Implementation Plan: Final Concept Report" detailing how a model seastead community could be built, structured, and rolled out.

Get Involved: become a Seasteading Institute Ambassador and help spread the word about what we're trying to do, and how seasteading can improve the lives of everyone.

Interested in one day moving to a seastead? "This survey measures the preferences and demands of future pioneers including full- and part-time residents as well as time-share holders." Take the Floating City Survey.

DeltaSyncs Design & Feasibility Report. TSI determined that DeltaSyncs concept is better adapted for the strategy of the Floating City Project, which encourages early seasteads to form within protected waters.

Phase II: Fact-finding & Diplomatic Floating City Project Mission

Want to stay informed? Sign up for the Seasteading Institute's Newsletter here.

Have relevant experience or expertise to contribute to seasteading, the Seasteading Institute is looking for you, apply here: info@seasteading.org

Related Subreddits:

/r/Aquaculture

/r/Floathouse

/r/Blueseed

/domain/seasteading.org

See the article here:

Seasteading: living in international waters indefinitely

A bold vision of the near future: cities built on floating platforms in the ocean, where people will forge their own governments and by living sustainably will solve many of our critical environmental problems.

Our planet is suffering from serious environmental problems: coastal flooding due to severe storms caused in part by atmospheric pollution, diminishing natural resources such as clean water, and so on. But while these problems plague Planet Earth, two-thirds of our globe is Planet Ocean. The seas can be home to pioneers, seasteaders, who are willing to homestead the Blue Frontier. Oil platforms and cruise ships already inhabit the waters; now its time to take the next step to full-fledged ocean civilizations. In their fascinating examination of a practical solution to our earthly problems, Joe Quirk and Patri Friedman profile some of the visionaries who are implementing basic concepts of seasteading: farming the oceans for new sources of nutrition; using the seas as a new sustainable energy source; establishing more equitable economies; reinventing architecture to accommodate the demands of living on the ocean.

These pioneers include Ricardo Radulovich, an agricultural water scientist who has built prototypes for giant seaweed farms to create new food sources; Neil Sims, a biologist who has invented new sustainable free-floating fish farms; Lissa Morgenthaler-Jones, a biotechnology entrepreneur investing heavily in algae fuel to replace fossil fuels; Patrick Takahashi, a biochemical engineer who wants to create floating cities that draw on the oceans as an energy source, and many others. Their research efforts have been supported by organizations like the World Bank, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and Lockheed Martin.

An entrepreneurs dream, these floating cities will become laboratories for innovation and creativity. Seasteading may be visionary, but it already has begun proving the adage that yesterdays science fiction is tomorrows science fact. Welcome to seavilization.

Link:

Seasteading | Book by Joe Quirk, Patri Friedman | Official ...