Suez Canal blocked by container ship 36

[verymadmac]

It might not be an engineering issue that started it, but I bet is going to change a few specifications.
BBC piece here Link



It looks like the bow is hard aground, refloating will be an interesting exercise given the time pressure.



Canal profile is here

https://www.suezcanal.gov.eg/English/About/SuezCanal/Pages/CanalCharacteristics.aspx

 

[Alistair_Heaton]

I am just waiting for the big sale at IKEA

 

[RedSnake]

I thought it always was big sale at IKEA ;-)
I guess then we will find out what it was in those containers.

“Logic will get you from A to Z; imagination will get you everywhere.“
Albert Einstein

 

[cranky108]

In times past, the joke was there is a sale at Penneys.

Not sure IKEA makes things in Asia, so I discount this thought.
Not to say they are not going to have a sale to compete.

I also doubt there will be a sale on rotten food, or incomplete assemblies.

Then again I likely won't see anything here.

 

[RedSnake]

IKEA has about a hundred containers on board Ever Given with furniture from somewhere in Asia.

/A


“Logic will get you from A to Z; imagination will get you everywhere.“
Albert Einstein

 

Not sure IKEA makes things in Asia

Not sure IKEA makes things in anywhere else but Asia.

Fixed it for you.

"Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but they are not entitled to their own facts."

 

[RedSnake]

About 60% of IKEA's production today takes place in Europe.
The corresponding figure for Asia is 33%.

/A

“Logic will get you from A to Z; imagination will get you everywhere.“
Albert Einstein

 

[Alistair_Heaton]

I was presuming it was lights and USB cables and charger's not wood products

 

[Alistair_Heaton]

Anchor has just been pulled up.

 

[RedSnake]

Furniture was taken from a article, so it can be a assumption.

Found another where IKEA says it is there home décor range with furniture and accessories in the containers.
So I suppose it can be a bit of everything.

/A

“Logic will get you from A to Z; imagination will get you everywhere.“
Albert Einstein

 

[LittleInch]

"No details revealed"

"The authority was committed to keeping the terms of the agreement confidential" I bet they are.

You can't lose face if there's no face to lose.



Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[waross]

The case of the insurance companies:
A condition of transit of the canal is that control of the ship must be turned over to pilots employed and selected by the canal authority.
In the case of the EverGiven, the pilots were grossly incompetent.
The pilots were responsible for grounding the ship with resulting:

Damage to the ship.
Delays to the ships schedule and the resulting loss of revenue.
Delays in the delivery of the cargo and possible resulting liability.​

Furthermore,
The ship was then arrested and held ransom for almost One Billion Dollars.
This resulted in further liabilities for delayed delivery of cargo and loss of revenue for the Ever Given.
Furthermore,
There are multiple possible claims due delays of cargo carried by the large numbers of ships delayed by the blockage of the canal.
The total losses occasioned by the incompetence of the SCA employees may be in the order of Two Billion dollars.
As insurers, we must re-evaluate our insurance rates for transit of the canal.
We anticipate that the new rates may be so high that many ships will find it more economical to avoid transiting the canal in the future rather than pay the insurance premium.
Our terms for settlement:
1. The Ever Given to be released.
2. The SCA to hold the Ever Given blameless.
3. The SCA to be responsible for all costs associated with the refloating of the Ever Given.
4. The SCA to accept, now and in the future, responsibility for the actions of SCA pilots and other employees.
5. The SCA to maintain insurance coverage for future possible incidents. It is anticipated that the insurance underwriter will supervise a training and standards program for pilots and others responsible for the passage of ships through the canal.
In return the insurers agree that claims for delays and loss of earnings will not be pursued against the SCA.
Just a thought.
The Ever Given and the insurers may not have been totally powerless in this matter.

Bill
--------------------
Ohm's law
Not just a good idea;
It's the LAW!

 

[LittleInch]

The problem with that is that I don't believe your first sentence is correct - " control of the ship must be turned over to pilots employed and selected by the canal authority"

Control of the vessel remains the responsibility of the Captain, but the pilots are required to "assist" the captain and crew in navigating the canal.

Now exactly how that works in practice is mired in some doubt, especially with some differences between nationalities and the way they respond to what they see as a higher authority, but legally the pilots do NOT take control of the ship as I understand it.

From other sources it actually sounds like the two pilots were arguing with each other and issuing conflicting commands as well as having a debate with the main control room about entering the canal in the first place.

Now whether this incident results in more captains taking full control and not doing what the pilots say then maybe something good will come from it and also they lower the acceptable wind speed allowed for some of these super massive container vessels or use more guidance tugs (though I'm not sure they can do much for vessels of this size. The ships were also breaking the speed limit.

In reality the pilots are only of any use apparently when entering and leaving the canal. The rest of the time they spend eating their way through the menus by all accounts.

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.

 

[waross]

As I understand it:
The Captain has the responsibility.
The pilot(s) have most of the authority.

Bill
--------------------
Ohm's law
Not just a good idea;
It's the LAW!

 

One outcome of all this will be that ships will record everything the pilots say and do (if they are not doing so already). There is just too much at stake, especially when a canal operator is prepared to take your ship hostage.

What about the question of canal maintenance (i.e., dredging) that I assume is the sole responsibility of SCA?

"Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but they are not entitled to their own facts."

 

[LionelHutz]

The pilots are supposed to be providing all navigation commands, so it's their fault if the ship crashes while they are navigating.

I don't know what happens in the canal, but I've seen video of pilots working at other times and the pilot certainly was the one "driving" the ship with no input from the captain.

It puts the captain in a tough spot. Someone else is in command of the ship but you're still at fault if something goes wrong.

Insurance companies don't care. Just another excuse to increase rates and have yet another record profit year.

 

[Alistair_Heaton]

I believe only the panama canal there is a full transfer of authority.

Its a pretty fundamental concept that the Captain carry's the can for everything.

captains hand over command regularly to others otherwise they could never sleep.

Its in the med now but stationary, presume crew swap and sort out where its going.

 

[TugboatEng]

The Panama canal is the only place where the pilots take full authority of the ship.

 

[RedSnake]

Now finally the Ever Given is in Rotterdam, next UK.
Waiting for the big sale. ;-)

https://www.reuters.com/world/europ...cked-suez-canal-arrives-rotterdam-2021-07-29/

/A

“Logic will get you from A to Z; imagination will get you everywhere.“
Albert Einstein

 

[Alistair_Heaton]

The ship involved was the Coral Crystal, a Panama-flagged bulk carrier that was built in 2012.

It is 738 feet long and 104 feet wide and was en route to Port Sudan on the Red Sea

Another one grounded but pulled out quickly.

 

[Alistair_Heaton]

Evergreen in dry dock

Some photos of the damage

https://www.businessinsider.com/ever-given-photos-reveal-damage-from-blocking-the-suez-canal-2021-11