4 ms·

It’s well and truly buried. Something like it plowed into the mud at 14 knots, and pushed over a full ship length into it. It’s draft is typically 40ish feet an

by a2tech 5y ago

It’s well and truly buried. Something like it plowed into the mud at 14 knots, and pushed over a full ship length into it. It’s draft is typically 40ish feet and it’s in 20ft of water at the bow. So that means it’s buried 20ft in mud up front. The strength of the suction alone is staggering. I’m starting to think it might be there for a very long time. Maybe even salvaged in place.

toomuchtodo 5y ago
I think it’s impossible to refloat it without damaging the hull at this point, and you’ll know salvage is the route they’re taking when the containment booms (for fuel loss prevention) are deployed around the vessel.
- Victerius 5y ago
  The ship is dead. The owners need to write it off their books. It shall never move again. The cargo will have to be removed one container at a time. The fuel tanks will be drained. And then the hull will need to be cut into pieces in place.
- Animats 5y ago
  It's not impossible, just expensive. It's just in mud. Expect the arrival of large suction dredges. Like these.[1] Large cranes may be brought in to remove containers and lighten the load. This is a big job, but not that bad. It's in a harbor near shore facilities, with good weather, and it's not urgent. [1] https://boskalis.com/about-us/fleet-and-equipment/dredgers.html https://boskalis.com/about-us/fleet-and-equipment/dredgers.h...
  - ars 5y ago
    Is it possible to unload it, so it floats higher?
    - bzzzt 5y ago
      You'd have to unload a lot then. I'm not a cargo specialist, but I presume they start with the heavy containers so those are at the bottom.
  - a2tech 5y ago
    There was someone on Youtube (What is Going on with Shipping? w/Sal Mercogliano) that did the math on dredging and with the capability that can be harnessed and it sounds very unlikely. The ship is so tall that unloading it from the ocean is almost impossible--there's nothing that can really do it. There's no ability to unload from the ship itself. Video from the guy going into depth (hah) on the 2nd refloat attempt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbWq7zlMKZQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbWq7zlMKZQ
    - Animats 5y ago
      Oh, that guy. In the next video he admits his math was off. There are cranes more than big enough to remove containers. The Left Coast Lifter, which was used to install some of the spans of the new SF Bay Bridge, is for sale.[1] That's far more crane than needed to lift a container. Look at that, and you'll see that there are machines big enough for the job. Available, even. Smit Salvage was going to bring in cranes to unload the Ever Given, but didn't have to. They're on this job, and if they need the big cranes, they have access to them. It takes a small fleet - cranes, crane barges, container-carrying barges, tugboats, etc. Somebody is going to have a huge salvage bill. [1] http://www.leftcoastlifter.com/ http://www.leftcoastlifter.com/
      - Animats 5y ago
        Container unloading is starting, using two barge-mounted cranes.[1] As expected. Two large dredges are on scene, removing mud around the ship. Donjon-Smit, the salvage firm, sent divers down and report the hull is intact, so they'll probably be able to float the ship out after enough lightening and dredging. All parties agree the salvage bill will be huge, and litigation over who pays for what is starting. [1] https://www.workboat.com/coastal-inland-waterways/new-details-on-ever-forward-refloat-plan https://www.workboat.com/coastal-inland-waterways/new-detail...

by a2tech 5y ago

toomuchtodo 5y ago

I think it’s impossible to refloat it without damaging the hull at this point, and you’ll know salvage is the route they’re taking when the containment booms (for fuel loss prevention) are deployed around the vessel.

Victerius 5y ago
The ship is dead. The owners need to write it off their books. It shall never move again. The cargo will have to be removed one container at a time. The fuel tanks will be drained. And then the hull will need to be cut into pieces in place.
Animats 5y ago
It's not impossible, just expensive. It's just in mud. Expect the arrival of large suction dredges. Like these.[1] Large cranes may be brought in to remove containers and lighten the load. This is a big job, but not that bad. It's in a harbor near shore facilities, with good weather, and it's not urgent. [1] https://boskalis.com/about-us/fleet-and-equipment/dredgers.html https://boskalis.com/about-us/fleet-and-equipment/dredgers.h...
- ars 5y ago
  Is it possible to unload it, so it floats higher?
  - bzzzt 5y ago
    You'd have to unload a lot then. I'm not a cargo specialist, but I presume they start with the heavy containers so those are at the bottom.
- a2tech 5y ago
  There was someone on Youtube (What is Going on with Shipping? w/Sal Mercogliano) that did the math on dredging and with the capability that can be harnessed and it sounds very unlikely. The ship is so tall that unloading it from the ocean is almost impossible--there's nothing that can really do it. There's no ability to unload from the ship itself. Video from the guy going into depth (hah) on the 2nd refloat attempt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbWq7zlMKZQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbWq7zlMKZQ
  - Animats 5y ago
    Oh, that guy. In the next video he admits his math was off. There are cranes more than big enough to remove containers. The Left Coast Lifter, which was used to install some of the spans of the new SF Bay Bridge, is for sale.[1] That's far more crane than needed to lift a container. Look at that, and you'll see that there are machines big enough for the job. Available, even. Smit Salvage was going to bring in cranes to unload the Ever Given, but didn't have to. They're on this job, and if they need the big cranes, they have access to them. It takes a small fleet - cranes, crane barges, container-carrying barges, tugboats, etc. Somebody is going to have a huge salvage bill. [1] http://www.leftcoastlifter.com/ http://www.leftcoastlifter.com/
    - Animats 5y ago
      Container unloading is starting, using two barge-mounted cranes.[1] As expected. Two large dredges are on scene, removing mud around the ship. Donjon-Smit, the salvage firm, sent divers down and report the hull is intact, so they'll probably be able to float the ship out after enough lightening and dredging. All parties agree the salvage bill will be huge, and litigation over who pays for what is starting. [1] https://www.workboat.com/coastal-inland-waterways/new-details-on-ever-forward-refloat-plan https://www.workboat.com/coastal-inland-waterways/new-detail...