Why a 30-knot Atlantic crossing demands so much fuel

How much hull volume and fuel would a warship need to travel from Norfolk to Portland at 30 knots while carrying a useful combat load?

No fixed volume can be given without the hull and displacement. For the roughly 3,100-nautical-mile passage, a very rough estimate is three times the fuel needed at 15 knots to sustain 30 knots.

The Norfolk-to-Portland distance is estimated at roughly 3,100 nautical miles. Fuel demand depends on displacement and hull efficiency, including length-to-beam ratio. A very rough estimate triples the fuel needed at 15 knots to make the same passage at 30 knots. That is an illustrative estimate, with no hull-specific calculation or fuel-tank volume supplied. Most warships spend much of their time cruising around 15-20 knots and use higher speeds when operations require them. Sustained wartime high-speed running also increases machinery wear compared with the peacetime operating pattern.