1 ship has delayed over 100 others!... UPDATE!

[bigbill]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

100,000 TONS heavier and 300 FEET longer than this. USS Gerald Ford, CVN-78.

Container ship-with 20,000 containers..it's big..

I've driven carriers through there twice. On the bridge, you can't see water around you, only sand. We traveled with tugs just in case something happened. Have a nuclear ship grounded like that would be way worse.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by merlinmurph

I'm not sure there's a choice in some countries. So, either you pay to play, or not do business there.

In 1980, I rode a grey USN bus from Clark AFB to Sibic Bay naval base. Philippines. During that trip, we were stopped at a ‘checkpoint’, with armed men...one came onboard and driver paid him....and we continued. NOT government anything but a bribe to local militia...

[RudAwkning]

Originally Posted by steveandbarb1

How do ethical companies actually survive? My company is extremely ethical, and anything above grounds for immediate firing.

It's an interesting question. My last company served as a portal/logistics backend for the ocean container industry. We were partnered with or had contracts with many Ocean Carriers (but not Evergreen who had their own internal systems). We ended up having an opportunity to contract with the US Gov't including the military branch. It was a long term contract and would have meant major $$$. But several employees brought up the ethical issues of us serving as a logistics platform to ship stuff that would kill people, or be stockpiled to kill people at later date. The consulting firm we were working alongside flubbed the deal though, so upper management never really had to make a decision.

The irony is if you are in the Global Container Shipping Industry, you are "involved" in just about every crime imaginable. Human trafficking, drugs, weapons, black market >everything<, etc.

Also, adding to the "landfill" comment earlier, the environmental impact of container vessels is ridiculous.

[SlowPokePete]

Originally Posted by bigbill

I've driven carriers through there twice.

Wow.

there are not many people who could say this.

SPP

[RudAwkning]

Originally Posted by bigbill

I've driven carriers through there twice. On the bridge, you can't see water around you, only sand. We traveled with tugs just in case something happened. Have a nuclear ship grounded like that would be way worse.

Oh wow. What Carrier(s) did you drive for? My father worked for 17 years at SeaLand. And then was chairman for ANERA>TWRA>TSA (Trans-Pacific Stabilization Agreement) until he retired. My first job was manual data entry of SCAC codes and arrival dates of vessels. I still have those burned in my brain. MOSU, HLCU, PMOL, APLU, ZIMU off the top of my head. I wish I could purge my mind of this now useless information

[ParkerMusselman]

Originally Posted by RudAwkning

Also, adding to the "landfill" comment earlier, the environmental impact of container vessels is ridiculous.

I'll also hop on the landfill comment. This event has brought into sharp international focus the scale of world trade. Inevitably we are throwing away goods at a similar rate. I wonder if there is a graphic or image that can convey the scale of human waste production. I've seen huge dumps with people pulling out valuables, but how about something that conveys the weight of human trash? Is there more biomass on earth or human trash?

[GregL]

Originally Posted by steveandbarb1

How do ethical companies actually survive? My company is extremely ethical, and anything above grounds for immediate firing.

It's a real challenge. The companies I flew for were very ethical. The problem was that to meet ethical/legal requirements (e.g., customs and immigration, flight plan filing, fuel and service, security, ad nauseum...), you had to "tip" the local authorities in some parts of the world. No tips = no work performed.

Greg

[bigbill]

Originally Posted by RudAwkning

Oh wow. What Carrier(s) did you drive for? My father worked for 17 years at SeaLand. And then was chairman for ANERA>TWRA>TSA (Trans-Pacific Stabilization Agreement) until he retired. My first job was manual data entry of SCAC codes and arrival dates of vessels. I still have those burned in my brain. MOSU, HLCU, PMOL, APLU, ZIMU off the top of my head. I wish I could purge my mind of this now useless information

Aircraft carriers, 1100 feet long and 100,000 tons.

[bigbill]

A friend is a Naval Architect and through calculations, have determined that 40% of the hull length is grounded. To raise the ship three feet will require the removal of 16,000 tons of ballast in the form of containers or fuel. 16K tons is the rough equivalent of two US Naval destroyers or 800 containers at 20 tons each. There are no facilities where the ship is grounded to remove the containers. The Egyptians will have to build infrastructure to unload the ship.

The new concern is the sagging hull. The bow and stern are firmly grounded, the center of the ship is largely unsupported. Hulls are designed for some flex (steel is real) but not to remain bowed. A hull failure would be a major disaster.

[RudAwkning]

Originally Posted by bigbill

Aircraft carriers, 1100 feet long and 100,000 tons.

Oh daaaang. Did you have to slip anybody a $20 bill?

[bigbill]

Originally Posted by RudAwkning

Oh daaaang. Did you have to slip anybody a $20 bill?

Interestingly enough, I would take 4-5 packs of Marlboro reds to the bridge for the Egyptian Canal Pilot (pro guys who guide large ships through the canal) because they all chain smoked. Euro and Egypt cigarettes were awful, if I could keep this guy happy with good quality US smokes for the 10-12 hours of transit, it made everything better.

[NHAero]

Amazing "job experience" Bigbill! Your resume must be quite a document!

Originally Posted by bigbill

Aircraft carriers, 1100 feet long and 100,000 tons.

[GregL]

Originally Posted by bigbill

Interestingly enough, I would take 4-5 packs of Marlboro reds to the bridge for the Egyptian Canal Pilot (pro guys who guide large ships through the canal) because they all chain smoked. Euro and Egypt cigarettes were awful, if I could keep this guy happy with good quality US smokes for the 10-12 hours of transit, it made everything better.

Very cool anecdote, and aligned with my travel experiences. Keep the officials happy and the work was done faster and with less stress. To paraphrase a previous post of yours, you certainly did some very cool stuff!

Greg

[bigbill]

Originally Posted by NHAero

Amazing "job experience" Bigbill! Your resume must be quite a document!

Meh, I retired from the Navy in 2012, spent six years working as an engineer for the Huggie's Pull-ups, Little Swimmers, and Goodnites line of products. Now I manage engineers and maintenance folks in a large home goods factory. For my next career, I'm looking at using my new MA to teach history at the local CC.

[AngryScientist]

whoever the pilot was on the bridge that day is probably in some hot water at the moment.