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Can cargo ships with empty containers actually sail back? In the past we shipped tons of alfalfa to China, partially because meat (and thus cow feed) is worth m
by AngryData 5y ago
Can cargo ships with empty containers actually sail back? In the past we shipped tons of alfalfa to China, partially because meat (and thus cow feed) is worth more in China, but I was under the impression that the main purpose was ballast for the ships because they can't sail without enough weight in them and alfalfa was the cheapest bulk weight they could source.
- hammock 5y agoThere is unlimited ballast all around a ship (water)
- ceejayoz 5y agoYou can't just pump a bunch of salt water into the cargo hold of a container ship, I suspect.
- ryukafalz 5y agoI'm no expert, but I believe many of these ships aren't designed to transport liquid cargo. In fact when their solid cargo starts to act too much like a liquid, things go south real fast: https://www.theshipyardblog.com/liquefaction-of-bulk-cargo-explained/ https://www.theshipyardblog.com/liquefaction-of-bulk-cargo-e...
- hammock 5y agoWell for sure liquid ballast needs to be in many compartments (not one big one) to mitigate the effects you link to
- digikata 5y agoI know little about ship operations - but what is ballasting them when they’re sailing away now without empty containers?
- HeyLaughingBoy 5y agoCompletely empty with no cargo? The ship itself is designed to be stable under nominal conditions. Also, remember that fuel is heavy and part of the load & balance equation. Carrying empty containers or with minimal cargo, or depending on cargo distribution, ballast tanks can be filled to get the center of gravity in the right place.