# Breaking News: Suez Canal blocked by a mega-sized container vessel \[Cleared\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 23, 2021, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516 "2021-03-23T21:52:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 15
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2021, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/282 "2021-03-27T07:44:01Z")
@GreenWyvern does removing silt and sand help if the ship is actually stuck on hard rock? ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2021, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/283 "2021-03-27T07:55:48Z")
_This video has by far the best information I’ve seen to date._ It’s from [gCaptain](https://gcaptain.com/) founder and CEO John Konrad. He apologizes at the beginning for the amateurish quality of the video (“I am not a YouTube star”) – but he knows his shit. Info I haven’t seen elsewhere: the forward void space and bow thrusters are flooding. It’s a long video, but essential watching to understand the situation, especially the later parts where he talks about the issues with steel and buckling. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Yzdxnuk-2pM/maxresdefault.jpg "Operation Backtwist The Ever Given Salvage Operation") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yzdxnuk-2pM) ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2021, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/284 "2021-03-27T08:38:15Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > does removing silt and sand help if the ship is actually stuck on hard rock? As far as I’ve heard, there is no hard rock, only sand. But it seems there are dredgers that are capable of boring into hard rock as well. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2021, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/286 "2021-03-27T11:55:39Z")
> [@mikecurtis](#): > > What the fuck are you talking about? > I’m gonna need some cites, or this just gets rallies up to inane ramblings This is unduly rude for MPTIMS. Please moderate your tone. Okay to ask for cites, but do it politely. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2021, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/287 "2021-03-27T14:44:56Z")
> **[Smit Bringing in Crane for Suez Box Removal](https://gcaptain.com/smit-start-suez-box-removal/)** > > By Fred Pals , Lucia Kassai , and Alex Longley (Bloomberg) Smit, the salvage company battling to dislodge the ship that’s blocking the Suez Canal said a crane will arrive... > “We are awaiting the arrival of a crane with which we can lift containers from the ship,” Peter Berdowski, chief executive officer of Boskalis Westminster, the parent company of the salvage team SMIT, said on Dutch television on Friday. “We will start taking containers from the ship anyway this weekend.” Containers have to be removed carefully so as not to unbalance the cargo. The video above also mentioned the problem of a shore-based crane not being able to reach 200m to the middle of the ship, where the heaviest containers are kept. Taking off too many containers from the bow and stern could cause the ship to break in half. A floating crane should be able to get off containers from the middle, but it will be a very slow process. ---
**Author:** ![Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiendish_astronaut/32/3295_2.png) [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiendish_Astronaut)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2021, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/288 "2021-03-27T15:21:31Z")
[![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbSxxOCHUkg) The first part of this video is interesting although I don’t know if the commentary is accurate. Ignore the stupid dramatic music! ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2021, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/289 "2021-03-27T20:20:26Z")
You can mute this video, it’s just music on the audio. Started to look like a car on an icy road there at the end ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2021, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/290 "2021-03-27T23:18:11Z")
I never considered this possibility. Lots of animals on the ships caught in the logjam. > **[Thousands Of Animals Packed On Ships In Suez Canal Backup: Reports](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/livestock-animals-ships-suez-canal_n_605ec39dc5b67ad3871fd53a)** > > “My greatest fear is that animals run out of food and water and they get stuck on the ships," said an Animals International representative. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2021, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/291 "2021-03-27T23:48:30Z")
> **[How a Desert Wind Blew $10 Billion of Global Trade Off Course](https://gcaptain.com/how-a-desert-wind-blew-10-billion-of-global-trade-off-course/)** > > By K Oanh Ha, Javier Blas, Salma El Wardany and Mirette Magdy (Bloomberg) — The forecast for Tuesday, March 23, showed wind gusts of more than 40 miles per hour and... > Based on tracking data and dozens of interviews with people in the industry, what’s known is that the Ever Given started heading through the 300 meter-wide canal while at least one other ship decided to hold off due to the high winds. The Ever Given also didn’t employ tug boats, according to two people with knowledge of the situation, while the two slightly smaller container ships immediately ahead did. > > Then there was the issue of how fast it was going. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2021, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/292 "2021-03-28T00:09:17Z")
Who was responsible for those decisions? (Speed, lack of tugboats, etc.) Was the local pilot responsible for all of that? ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2021, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/293 "2021-03-28T00:12:06Z")
Nick Sloane, one of the world’s top salvage experts, and the person in charge of refloating the Costa Concordia, gives his views: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/CSQl_CBxuHI/maxresdefault.jpg "MV Ever Given: What's Going on in the Suez Part 4: Nick Sloane joins us thanks to gCaptain.") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSQl_CBxuHI) > Associate Professor Sal Mercogliano of Campbell University (www.campbell.edu) and the CEO of gCaptain ([gcaptain.com](http://gcaptain.com)) John Konrad are joined by Master Salvor Nick Sloane of Resolve Marine ([resolvemarine.com](http://resolvemarine.com)) to discuss the situation in the Suez regarding the MV Ever Given. > > Captain Sloane has overseen hundreds of salvage operations including the Costa Concordia, wrecked off Italy in 2012. His knowledge provides great insight into the situation facing the salvors as they attempt to free Ever Given in the Suez Canal. > > Not to give anyway the ending: THIS IS BIGGER AND MORE DIFFICULT THAN MOST PEOPLE THINK OR WANT TO ADMIT. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2021, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/294 "2021-03-28T00:13:31Z")
Every article cited above recently has specified that the Suez Canal authorities specify that responsibility remains with the ship’s master even when a pilot is aboard. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2021, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/295 "2021-03-28T00:14:57Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Who was responsible for those decisions? (Speed, lack of tugboats, etc.) Was the local pilot responsible for all of that? Legally, the pilot only advises. The master takes the decisions and is responsible. (ninja’d) ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2021, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/296 "2021-03-28T00:28:54Z")
By this point, considering how dense the traffic jam that there is waiting to enter the Canal, surely it makes sense for the waiting ships to just say “screw it” and start heading the long way around Africa, right? Even if the Ever Given were freed next week, they’d still have to wait their turn. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2021, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/297 "2021-03-28T00:33:04Z")
Some have started the long way round. ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2021, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/298 "2021-03-28T00:36:20Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > As mentioned upthread, they will be deballasting to the extent it will help and is possible, subject to stability concerns. Given that stability calculations are - with the aid of onboard computers - easy and deballasting can be done in hours, I have to suspect that if it was going to solve the problem, the vessel would have been refloated days ago. Here’s a mention of deballasting from today’s NY Times. I see that it’s much more complicated than just “starting the water”: The ship’s technical manager, Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, said that larger tugboats have arrived to help, with two more due on Sunday. Several dredgers are digging around the vessel’s bow, and **high-capacity pumps will draw water from the vessel’s ballast tanks to lighten the ship** , the company said. > **[Scramble Against Time to Free Ship Stuck in Suez Canal (Published 2021)](https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/03/27/world/suez-canal-stuck-ship)** > > Days after the Ever Given became lodged in the canal, its rudder has been freed and dredging is complete. Some salvagers hope it could be freed this weekend, but the wait for shipping to resume continues. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2021, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/299 "2021-03-28T01:15:41Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > By this point, considering how dense the traffic jam that there is waiting to enter the Canal, surely it makes sense for the waiting ships to just say “screw it” and start heading the long way around Africa, right? Even if the Ever Given were freed next week, they’d still have to wait their turn. I would expect Egypt to sugarcoat the situation - “we’ll have this thing cleared up any day now” - lest many of the waiting boats choose another route, and in doing so, avoid paying lucrative canal tolls. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2021, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/300 "2021-03-28T04:01:19Z")
The BBC is reporting there’s some progress. They managed to move the ship “30 degrees in two directions” and that enough water is starting to run underneath the vessel. They’re actually saying that it might be afloat by Sunday evening. > **[Suez Canal: Effort to refloat wedged container ship continues](https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-56547383)** > > Tugboats are renewing attempts to dislodge the container ship Ever Given from the canal. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2021, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/301 "2021-03-28T04:29:17Z")
Obviously, I’m no expert in these things, but could helicopters be used to help pull the ship (airborne tugs, basically) or in unloading if it comes to that? ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2021, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516/302 "2021-03-28T04:32:06Z")
Would be like getting your 4x4 stuck in a swamp and tying a line on a sparrow to help pull you out. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516.md?page=14) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-suez-canal-blocked-by-a-mega-sized-container-vessel-cleared/938516.md?page=16)