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

 

[epoxybot]

Thanks Waross

 

[1503-44]

That guy says Fitz rolled, dumped the cargo, but the Uni Wisconsin says the bow plunged into a wave and went down bow first.

 

[waross]

I understood that the ship rolled and dumped its cargo after it was submerged.

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

 

[1503-44]

The UW report appears to contradict rolling. Rolling is a stability issue with large waves abeam and with a heavy water-laden load, they would not have capsized directly, whereas the wind and waves, apparently astern at the time, forced them down bow first. Once under, all stability in any degree of freedom is a moot point, however in an upside down and bow downward position, I doubt they would have had any inherent tendency to roll back upright on account of the hulls bouncy, no matter how they eventually hit the bottom, because the hull would have been flooded immediately by the water flowing in to replace the lost cargo. Upside down with a small amount of air providing little buoyancy and the weight of the rest of the ship below that center of action would not tend to upright the ship. It would probably just continue a nose dive to a more vertical attitude from which almost any final bottom position might result.

 

[zeusfaber]

Getting back to Ever Given, here's how they really got her out.

A.

 

[dik]

Looks like Egypt is playing 'hardball'...
"“The vessel will remain here until investigations are complete and compensation is paid,” Osama Rabie, chairman of the Suez Canal Authority, told state television in Egypt on Thursday. “We hope for a speedy agreement,” he said. “The minute they agree to compensation, the vessel will be allowed to move.”"

Can they put the money in trust and get the courts to free the vessel?

Rather than think climate change and the corona virus as science, think of it as the wrath of God. Feel any better?

-Dik

 

[Alistair_Heaton]

yes I believe they can but Egypt will want the money now. If they do that it will be over 5 years possibly 10 before they get a look at it. Plus the court may substantially reduce the amount they will get.

They will also hold the crew until its all sorted as well not just the boat.

The boat itself is only worth 170 million. So actually they know fine that the amount they want is actually more than what they have impounded.

 

[FacEngrPE]

Arresting a ship has precedent under admiralty law.

Ship Arrest Under Maritime Law: Reasons, Procedure, and Precautions By Soumyajit Dasgupta | In: Maritime Law | Last Updated on October 9, 2019

Also limiting the shipowners liability
Increased Limits Of Liability For Maritime Claims Enter Into Force By MI News Network | In: Shipping News | Last Updated on January 23, 2017

Depending on what kind of hardball Egypt wants to play, and how the transit contract interacts with the shipowners obligations under the international conventions, I can see this cargo being delayed for some time.

More Trouble for Evergreen Suez Canal Ship, Now Being Held Captive; Sebastian Blanco, April, 13 2021

 

[thebard3]

I can see this cargo being delayed for some time.

Years.
Unless someone is willing to come off of a whole lot of cash to resolve it sooner.

Brad Waybright

The more you know, the more you know you don't know.

 

[dik]

I was thinking both items... It puts the action into the courts... I still have a little more confidence in them than I do in governments (just a little, in some countries the courts are as corrupt as the governments)... and frees the cargo and crew... else as you noted, could take years to sort out this issue.

Has the boat, legally, been seized?

Rather than think climate change and the corona virus as science, think of it as the wrath of God. Feel any better?

-Dik

 

[LittleInch]

The problem is the $1Bn the Egyptians want is just plucked from thin air and wouldn't stand up in any court.

It is only those ships which gave up or took a view after setting sail and went round the Cape which they lost revenue on. A few 10's of millions. They shifted the back log in about 7-10 days at more ships per day so still got all the cash.
Don't know what the salvage team were on, but even if its Lloyds open book, this will be resolved via normal means. The rental on those puny excavators wouldn't be much...
SO their direct losses are probably <$50MM and maybe not even that. but now they've come out with a figure, they can't back down too far or they will "loose face". Only if a bunch of ship owners threatened to go the long route unless they freed the vessel on the grounds that any ship now stood the risk of being impounded in the event of an incident would they start to see sense.

The cargo owners are many and various so they have no single voice to speak up for them.
If I owned any of that stuff in the containers on the vessel I would be pressing the insurance company for total write off and re send it. It's going to be there for a long time....

Just hope not too many peoples personal possession were on it.

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

 

[dik]

I'm thinking of all the 'live' stock on board... I don't know how you get to them, unless they are the top containers... A big thing, I think the courts would look into is the pilot being Egyptian... althought they are protected from liability, the courts may view otherwise. There are some things that you cannot 'Contract out of'. In my earlier comment, I was wondering if the vessel was legally seized, or if the Egyptian government has just taken possession of it.

Rather than think climate change and the corona virus as science, think of it as the wrath of God. Feel any better?

-Dik

 

[JohnRBaker]

I've found no reports that the Ever Given was carrying livestock. In fact, from my searches, it appears that livestock are carried on specialized ships equipped for just this purpose. That being said, it was also reported that some 20 'livestock' ships had been delayed as a result of the canal blockage.

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
EX-'Product Evangelist'
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:
UG/NX Museum:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[LittleInch]

Unless some of the containers are refrigerated then the cargo is simply sitting there. Even the reefers as they seem to be known are fed from the ships power supply so whilst the contents might not be edible any more they at least won't rot.... The EG probably has enough fuel oil for months sitting there but might need a top up to get to its destination.

Container ships don't carry live cargo.

As to the legality of the impoundment, who knows? My guess is that it is being viewed as an extraordinary fee by the SCA and they probably have the rigth to prevent the ship leaving their jurisdiction until it is paid.

This is definitely one where possession is 100% of the law....

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

 

[dik]

Sorry... I'd read somewhere that there was livestock on board. It makes sense that there wouldn't be any...

Rather than think climate change and the corona virus as science, think of it as the wrath of God. Feel any better?

-Dik

 

[LittleInch]

There was a lot of concern over live animal cargo ships caught up in the ship jam as they couldn't off load or in some cases feed the animals properly.

Hopefully they got some sort of priority once the ship had been moved...

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

 

[waross]

Fun Fact:
While the commercial shipping fleet of Honduras is tiny, on a percentage basis, it was a world leader in the percentage of its fleet that was arrested in foreign ports for unseaworthy conditions. In the top 1 or 2.
As well they were a leader in the percentage of their fleet that sank annually. Again in the top 1 or 2.
I worked on a lot of ships generators in Honduras.
I heard a lot of interesting stories.
In regards to the Ever given:
Associate arrest.
If the claim by Egypt exceeds the amount recoverable from the disposal of the ship and cargo, The Egyptians may possibly arrest other ships owned by the same firm.
I wonder if the Evergreen line will start to avoid the canal.

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

 

[dik]

I wonder when this becomes 'piracy'? I'm looking forward to see what happens in the next little while. I don't know if Egypt is a signatory for the World Court... might be the next round. No one seems to be moving quickly on this, unless it's 'behind the scenes'.

Rather than think climate change and the corona virus as science, think of it as the wrath of God. Feel any better?

-Dik

 

[Alistair_Heaton]

There is a load of international law which covers this

Leans against ships have been done for hundreds of years.

They also impound aircraft in the same way for money owed.

 

[Lou Scannon]

Great, all we need right now, a flashpoint for another "Middle East" war

"Schiefgehen wird, was schiefgehen kann" - das Murphygesetz