One prediction is that the ship will be freed over the weekend, and the salvage company says it could be weeks. A plan under consideration is to lighten the ship by removing fuel, but that reduces stability and poses a risk of capsize. Wouldn't that be something. Spill all of those containers into the canal and leave the ship on its side.
This detail has been announced:
"The SCA said Thursday after meeting with the Dutch salvage firm SMIT, which is helping lead the operation, that about 19,600-26,000 cubic yards of sand had to be moved, reaching a depth of 40 to 50 feet along the canal's bank, to dislodge the ship."
[I assume that is 19,600-26,000 c.y.]
York1 Murphy Siding That could conveivably push the bow into the east bank. How did the tail end of the ship get buried into the west bank? Wouldn't the same wind tend to push the tail end east as well? Not being a ship expert or an engineer, I'll venture a guess that once one part hit the bank and stopped, the huge forward motion force would drive the rest of the ship sideways, swinging it around to the opposite side. Of course, knowing me, I'm sure I'm completely wrong.
Murphy Siding That could conveivably push the bow into the east bank. How did the tail end of the ship get buried into the west bank? Wouldn't the same wind tend to push the tail end east as well?
Not being a ship expert or an engineer, I'll venture a guess that once one part hit the bank and stopped, the huge forward motion force would drive the rest of the ship sideways, swinging it around to the opposite side. Of course, knowing me, I'm sure I'm completely wrong.
Reports that I viewed said the wind blew the stern onto the West Bank of the canal - the bow just pivoted along the center of pressure. Report also stated that all this took place in a sand storm that obscured visibility. The vessel was Northbound through the canal.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
tree68 Given reports that the ship was having problems with it's steering gear before entering the canal, it's possible that the wind started things by pushing the ship (which presented a large "sail area), then the steering gear wasn't up to the job. The momentum idea does deserve consideration.
Given reports that the ship was having problems with it's steering gear before entering the canal, it's possible that the wind started things by pushing the ship (which presented a large "sail area), then the steering gear wasn't up to the job.
The momentum idea does deserve consideration.
It's being reported that Ever Given suffered a power failure that essentially handicapped the vessel losing its propulsion and steering capability. This makes sense as it allows the current and wind to swing the vessel and ground it into the banks of the canal. They might not have no other choice than to somehow offload some containers from the vessel.
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Murphy SidingThat could conveivably push the bow into the east bank. How did the tail end of the ship get buried into the west bank? Wouldn't the same wind tend to push the tail end east as well?
York1 John
I asked my doctor if I gave up delicious food and all alcohol, would I live longer? He said, "No, but it will seem longer."
blue streak 1 What will happen in the short futue times when container ships are not arriving on the east coast ?
What will happen in the short futue times when container ships are not arriving on the east coast ?
I'm not entirely sure that will happen. I was under the impression that the group of ships that cycle Europe-US would be a different pool of ships than the Asia-Europe pool that use the Suez. Outbound European shipments to the US wouldn't be directly impacted. The delays come later when Europe-bound ships can't berth, regardless of origin.
I'd suspect that drawing out the chain of inbounds to Europe around Africa could help mitigate port congestion. Shippers and receivers would see vast delays, but the actual berth space might be able to absorb the traffic better than waiting for everyting to surge through the canal when it opens.
Thinking out loud, bear with me-Let's say the ship was heading north in the north-south canal. The wind blows hard and turns the ship at an angle toward one shore or the other. The ship plows into the bank under power and buries the bow into the bank. Let's say the wind was out of the west. That could conveivably push the bow into the east bank. How did the tail end of the ship get buried into the west bank? Wouldn't the same wind tend to push the tail end east as well?
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They say that the canal saves 10 days from a journey that would otherwise be routed around Africa. Perhaps just a "rare mileage" opportunity for ships crews?
Seems to me that hydraulic mining equipment would be a good tool to put in service to try and free the ship.
Due to Ever Given's grounding in the canal. Some vessels are turning around to take the Cape Route around Africa.
These reports of long delays for salvage reinforces the question. What will happen in the short futue times when container ships are not arriving on the east coast ? Scheduling of containers to east coast ports ( including gulf ) may cause them to be held back in a lot of rail yards, Those ships that can go to west coast ports is another question. Are RRs nimble enough to start planning and maybe instituting embargos ?
With the back ups at the Pannama canal will there be some US and Canadian land bridge container trains. I imagine Greyhounds can think of many more problems ?
Think I will chage the title.
With the back ups at the Pannama canal will there be some US and Canadian land bridge container trains. I imagine Greyhounds can think of many more problems ?u
I am sure that the ship is still partly supported by buoyancy over its entire length but reports say that when it rotated, both ends rode up on the sand and assumed additional weight loading through the bow and stern.
Murphy Siding blue streak 1 Here is a link to a back hoe trying to move sand away from the bow. Kind of gives a new meaning of gnat and person size. An excavator is trying to help free a ship stuck in the Suez Canal, but a photo shows how hard that'll be (msn.com) Seeing how the soil there is all sand, it makes sense to me that they would come in with some pumping equipment to wash out underneath the ship.
blue streak 1 Here is a link to a back hoe trying to move sand away from the bow. Kind of gives a new meaning of gnat and person size. An excavator is trying to help free a ship stuck in the Suez Canal, but a photo shows how hard that'll be (msn.com)
Here is a link to a back hoe trying to move sand away from the bow. Kind of gives a new meaning of gnat and person size.
An excavator is trying to help free a ship stuck in the Suez Canal, but a photo shows how hard that'll be (msn.com)
Seeing how the soil there is all sand, it makes sense to me that they would come in with some pumping equipment to wash out underneath the ship.
Read reports that what the ship is hung up on is much more rock than sand. Which is what you would expect at the edges of the canal - rock will hold the canal's perimeter, sand would wash along with the movement of the water.
Euclid Just having the ship supported mostly on the ends could do a lot of damage that we cannot see from the photos.
I'm pretty sure the ship is still afloat - just aground at both ends. Unless the water level of the canal is being lowered, the ship is not just supported at the ends.
The ship is around 1,300 feet long. As such it's designed to be able to handle longitudinal stresses - it encounters them all the time on the open seas. I was on a 440 foot Navy vessel in 15-20 foot seas - it was quite a ride...
Check out some videos of ships in big waves.
Euclid BaltACD 400 meters long, 59 meters wide, 224K tons. Egypt doesn't have any cranes capable of reaching the top containers on the vessel to unload them to another vessel. Pumping off fuel and/ballast to lighten the load risk capsizing the vessel. That is why salvage contractors earn their money. Yes of course it will obviously require salvage companies to do the work of unloading the containers and fuel. They could cut the ship in two or more pieces if necessary. They can saw through with a special cutting cable. But this refloat operation could take a lot longer than the few days they are hoping for. Just having the ship supported mostly on the ends could do a lot of damage that we cannot see from the photos. I think we will be hearing a growing predicted timeframe for refloating the ship. If it gets out to weeks, they may decide the cost of the delay is higher than the value of the ship and its load.
BaltACD 400 meters long, 59 meters wide, 224K tons. Egypt doesn't have any cranes capable of reaching the top containers on the vessel to unload them to another vessel. Pumping off fuel and/ballast to lighten the load risk capsizing the vessel. That is why salvage contractors earn their money.
400 meters long, 59 meters wide, 224K tons. Egypt doesn't have any cranes capable of reaching the top containers on the vessel to unload them to another vessel. Pumping off fuel and/ballast to lighten the load risk capsizing the vessel.
That is why salvage contractors earn their money.
Yes of course it will obviously require salvage companies to do the work of unloading the containers and fuel. They could cut the ship in two or more pieces if necessary. They can saw through with a special cutting cable.
But this refloat operation could take a lot longer than the few days they are hoping for. Just having the ship supported mostly on the ends could do a lot of damage that we cannot see from the photos. I think we will be hearing a growing predicted timeframe for refloating the ship. If it gets out to weeks, they may decide the cost of the delay is higher than the value of the ship and its load.
Salvors have been cutting on the Golden Ray that capsized in Brunswick, GA harbor in September 2019 since November 2020. They have managed to get the hull cut in three pieces to be hauled to the scrapper so far; it is expected for the hull to be cut into eight pieces for final disposition.
Smit is one of the contracted salvors for the Ever Given - there is no way the vessel will be cut up on site.
I saw a piece on CNN Business that they are now saying it could takes weeks or months to refloat the ship. They are trying to move tha sand away from the ship. But who knows how long it will actually take?
Caldreamer
Would a heavy payload military helicopter be able to lift a loaded container?
https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-egypt-suezcanal-ship-idUSKBN2BH1HH
From the link:
ISMAILIA, Egypt (Reuters) - A container ship blocking the Suez Canal like a “beached whale” sent new shockwaves through global trade on Thursday as officials stopped all ships entering the channel and the salvage company said it may take weeks to free.
It may require unloading the ship in addition to dredging sand. The size of the ship and number of containers is startling.
This type of scenario could easily play out in any number of canals. There are spots in the St. Lawrence Seaway near me where a 700' ship would likely touch both shores.
There is a ship sunk in the American Narrows here that is a popular destination for recreational divers. At 700', the Roy A Jodery would likely have spanned the waterway. The bow is 150' down, the stern sits at 240' - too deep for your average hobby diver.
blue streak 1Another report. Early Thursday morning local time another dtry tto free the vessel. May shows how idt is locked in sideways. Wonder if wind conditions might have contributed to it going sideways ? After being bottlenecked in the Suez Canal for days, the owner of the cargo ship Ever Given is potentially facing millions of dollars in insurance claims (msn.com) Does the canal use pilots for going thru the canal ?
After being bottlenecked in the Suez Canal for days, the owner of the cargo ship Ever Given is potentially facing millions of dollars in insurance claims (msn.com)
Does the canal use pilots for going thru the canal ?
Have watched a YouTube video or two of vessels transiting the Suez Canal. Vessels do get a Pilot - it is part of the fees they pay for passage. Transit of any of the worlds canals for large commercial vessels is not cheap.
Reports I have read state that the wind was the prime cause of the grounding.
Reports do indicate that a high wind blew the ship off course and turned it crosswise to the canal. Looking at the profile of the ship, you can see how much opportunity it would present to cross wind.
I think the gravity of this predicament has been slow to sink in. The canal authority may want to consider limiting the length of passing ships to be about 100 ft. less than the width of the canal.
It may be possible with enough pull to just pop the ship loose, and eventually enough pull might be made available. The problem is that you have to attach the pull to the ship in an even distribution of pull points on the ship, or it will just pull a chunk out of the ship.
Another report. Early Thursday morning local time another dtry tto free the vessel. May shows how idt is locked in sideways. Wonder if wind conditions might have contributed to it going sideways ?
One of the pitfalls of massive 20,000+ TEU vessels. Harder to re-float when aground..Of note Evergreen has ordered some more vessels but these will only have a capacity of 15,000 TEU. I think overtime we will start seeing new vessel orders trend back in size a little bit. 15-18K TEU
Maybe this will allow the ports to catch up a bit...
SALfan Believe I read late in the day the ship had been moved and the canal is no longer blocked. That won't help already-jammed ports, but the way is open for ships bound to the East Coast thru the Suez Canal.
Believe I read late in the day the ship had been moved and the canal is no longer blocked. That won't help already-jammed ports, but the way is open for ships bound to the East Coast thru the Suez Canal.
That stuck ship is going to be a big deal to get unstuck. There are reports that it may have to be unloaded to get it unstuck. I think it is causing major heartburn with the canal, ship’s owners, and shipping delays to other ships.
But earlier today, they ran a story saying the ship had been refloated. But it seemed suspicious because they also said they will get it totally unstuck soon. That sounded fishy to me. I suspected they were so hoping to get it moving that they thought it would help to announce that they had done so.
As it turns out, that story was false as I suspected. A new report says this:
"Ship has not been re-floated, authorities admit
The Ever Given is still aground in the Suez Canal and authorities are working to refloat it, an official at marine agent GAC said on Wednesday.
Ahmed Mekawy, an assistant manager at GAC's Egypt office, said the Dubai-based agent had earlier received inaccurate information that the mammoth container ship had been partially refloated."
SALfanBelieve I read late in the day the ship had been moved and the canal is no longer blocked. That won't help already-jammed ports, but the way is open for ships bound to the East Coast thru the Suez Canal.
We as railroaders and railroad enthusiasts have very little to no understanding of the maritime trade networks that keep the World Economy humming.
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