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Suez canal blocked by a massive ship

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Re: Suez canal blocked by a massive ship

#291

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't this why new ships are starting to have multiple 360 degree electrical drivers instead of one big propeller? I think they are called iso-pods.

You mean this? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azipod I think the biggest issue is complexity and resulting unreliability. On a ship that has to be in constant use for decades you want things that are simple and reliable. "The latest design, the Azipod X, incorporates these improvements, with a view to a service interval of five years, and features bearings that can be taken apart and repaired from inside the pod while…

Harbor tugs are more commonly equipped with these: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voith_Schneider_Propeller

They're quite efficient (although maybe only for lower speeds) and provide extreme maneuverability.

Re: Suez canal blocked by a massive ship

#292

If you go to vesselfinder you can follow the drama in real-time! Seems it's still stuck: https://www.vesselfinder.com/?imo=9811000

So how long before they start rerouting, for ships that can make that passage South of the horn?

Does anyone know the transit time to pass through the canal versus going around the South Africa route?

Re: Suez canal blocked by a massive ship

#293
post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>Uhhh it's in Wikipedia's "largest container ships" list! Off-topic, but does anyone else find it odd to find fillers like "umm" and "uhh" to be typed out on sites like HN or reddit?

No it contributes to more natural conversation, illustrating the commenter’s thought process.

I didn’t think that “natural” conversation was an actual goal on HN. You see this particularly in the way that humour (among other things) is often downvoted and discouraged.

Re: Suez canal blocked by a massive ship

#295

So, fellow Europeans, prepare for a longer delivery time for most of your items starting from, I don't know, 10 days from now? What's the buffer size for most of the products in, say, an Amazon Fulfillment facility?

Also, I expect this kind of stop will cause the ships to be lining up in the unloading facilities in e.g. Rotterdam, so there will be secondary obstructions beyond the time the canal is blocked.

Re: Suez canal blocked by a massive ship

#297

Here is another accident of the "Ever Given" in Hamburg [0] in which a harbour ferry suffered a total loss after being rammed by her. Supposed cause was an unfortunate combination of slow speeds and severe wind which seems to be a difficult situation for ships as tall as these. Maybe a similar combination of events happened here? [0] https://www.mopo.de/hamburg/frachter-rammt-faehre-knapp-an-d...

I love the position of the Swedish flag in that photo. Given that the accident happened in Germany and the ship is Taiwanese. It is just freaky, I don't know if it is good or bad to be associated with such an incident. In a plane crash they are usually quick to paint over the name of the airline company to not be associated. I don't think this is the same though.

> It is just freaky, I don't know if it is good or bad to be associated with such an incident.

I think it's not good because of the potential to become politicly charged. Add some "cyber" and it has NatSec types reeling. There is a scenario in Ghost Fleet[1] where a vessel sailing under a Chinese flag blocks the Panama canal in a theater of war with the West. Not going to issue any spoilers but it's a brilliant (fiction) novel for hypothetical future war scenario's.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Fleet_(novel)

Re: Suez canal blocked by a massive ship

#298

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Much like Panamax being the largest ship size which can traverse the Panama canal, there's a corresponding Suezmax[1]. Sort of like the old story of the Space Shuttle's SRB size being dictated by old Roman road design, it's interesting how modern design is influenced by historical limitations we might not consider.

One of the main roads near where I live is a Roman road. It's fascinating that the new buildings being built along it have their design constrained, in some way, by a decision made 2000 years ago.

2000 years? Think about how frequently we're hampered by limitations set 13.8 billion years ago...

Re: Suez canal blocked by a massive ship

#299

Let's hope all those backed up ships aren't stuck as long as these chaps: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_Fleet

> Cargo: Eggs, fruit Yikes.

From what I recall they wanted to sell apples to the Egyptians, but the government refused. The crew ended up throwing the cargo overboard before it could perish.

I heard about this originally from a great German podcast "Geschichten aus der Geschichte": https://www.geschichte.fm/podcast/zs180/

Re: Suez canal blocked by a massive ship

#300

Here is another accident of the "Ever Given" in Hamburg [0] in which a harbour ferry suffered a total loss after being rammed by her. Supposed cause was an unfortunate combination of slow speeds and severe wind which seems to be a difficult situation for ships as tall as these. Maybe a similar combination of events happened here? [0] https://www.mopo.de/hamburg/frachter-rammt-faehre-knapp-an-d...

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