Suez blocked by stuck ship!

[Krikkit]

Simpo Two said:

Right, what they need to do is build a dam across the canal on each side of the ship, then pump water in-between them to raise the level around the ship until it floats off. Then move the ship until its in the middle and pointing the right way, then blow the dams up.

The work of but a moment!

[tertius]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Not really - the Caledonian Canal has locks, including a sea lock at each end - the Suez Canal does not.

[Pupp]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

From my experience of sailing the length of the Caledonian Canal, all this problem needs is a few trawlers in a hurry and to paint the stuck vessel up as if a leisure craft. They’d soon nerf it out their way...

[Blackpuddin]

Could giant inflatables have a part to play in this, as used (I think) in raising wrecks from the seabed, or is that daft/unworkable physics?

[Pupp]

Evoluzione said:

Badda said:

This is going to blow your minds but the sand actually goes under the sea too. It's not just on the bit you can see.

So why doesn't the sea drain away through it then?

It does, but at a rate less than its replenishment by rain and fish wee

[thegreenhell]

dr_gn said:

Maybe been asked before, but instead of pissing about with tug boats, why don't they just tie it to the next massive containers ship back, shove it in reverse, and pull it out with that?

or get one of them to do a handbrake turn next to it, and use the wave that creates to re-float it.

[tertius]

Blackpuddin said:

Could giant inflatables have a part to play in this, as used (I think) in raising wrecks from the seabed, or is that daft/unworkable physics?

Ship camels maybe?

Suspect they'd be better off unloading the thing first, though as discussed earlier, probably easier said than done.

[outnumbered]

At what point is it worth the ships in the queue giving up and going round Africa?

[Tye Green]

it seems that water level is about 18m which doesn't sound much to support a 200,000 ton ship?

[B4rnst4ble]

Blackpuddin said:

Could giant inflatables have a part to play in this, as used (I think) in raising wrecks from the seabed, or is that daft/unworkable physics?

I have one I could let them have only use it for a few weeks a year not sure how it will help though

[Simpo Two]

outnumbered said:

At what point is it worth the ships in the queue giving up and going round Africa?

You can imagine all the captains thinking 'bks, must be an accident, wonder if there's another way?' and tapping 'Alternative route' into their satnavs...

In reality the issue may be fuel. But there could be opportunities for small boats to go round selling burgers and hot dogs...

[paralla]

They will be able to reduce the draft a good few meters by de-ballasting which is probably fine due to the calm water reducing the requirement for the ballast to provide stability. De-ballasting is way easier than unloading containers. A load of assurance will have to be done by naval architects to ensure stability in the loaded condition remains before pumping the ballast water out. They are probably also considering the stress on the hull, you cant just load and unload a containership willy nilly, it has to be carefully planned in order for the hull not to break in half just from the weight of the ballast water and the cargo.

[thegreenhell]

Well you wouldn't want the front to fall off.

[anonymous-user]

Simpo Two said:

Right, what they need to do is build a dam across the canal on each side of the ship, then pump water in-between them to raise the level around the ship until it floats off. Then move the ship until its in the middle and pointing the right way, then blow the dams up.

And what will they do after lunch??? ;-)

[lufbramatt]

Tye Green said:

it seems that water level is about 18m which doesn't sound much to support a 200,000 ton ship?

Draught of the Ever Given is just under 16m

[Simpo Two]

Tye Green said:

it seems that water level is about 18m which doesn't sound much to support a 200,000 ton ship?

Depends how long/wide the ship is. Ever Given is 15.7m reported draught according to marinetraffic.com . Interestingly their 'past track' feature doesn't work for this ship - maybe disabled? - so I can't see what shape it drew before it entered the canal. Also none of the other ships queueing up seem to be giving 'squawk codes'...

[Byker28i]

good photo of the village near it

[anonymous-user]

Byker28i said:

good photo of the village near it

Does it have a Tesco? Perhaps it's got a shopping trolley wrapped around the prop.......you may laugh but it happened to me on the K & A canal.

[nonsequitur]

Byker28i said:

good photo of the village near it

Estate agents dream .'Close to the river and next door to the shops'.

[anonymous-user]

Tye Green said:

it seems that water level is about 18m which doesn't sound much to support a 200,000 ton ship?

Google 'Archimedes principle', all will be clear!