Suez Canal blocked by stuck cargo ship

I put this on my projector today and showed all of my students (chem, physics, earth and space science). I thought it was relevant to physics for sure and earth science. They were baffled. I pointed out the log jam of ships, the affect on economy, delivery of goods etc.
Then I showed them the images from USMMA SAF 'rough winter' post of the ships losing containers. They got a little green under the gills watching the video of the tanker in the North Pacific.

They couldn't believe the enlisted on the decks of the Navy vessel that @Capt MJ had posted the video of transferring fuel and goods. They have a new level of respect for Sailors.

Ship tracker app is amazing and they really enjoyed looking at the patterns of heavy traffic. Seeing the different types of vessels was fun. They really perked up at the 'armed guards' onboard vessel ships. Had to walk through piracy at sea.

Perfect segue into why no country should be so reliant on the goods of others.

We may have the ability to manufacture and pilot these massive merchant ships but we may need to devise a plan to update the canals to handle them.
Also, from the mariners on this site I am curious about something.
The word from the ship's owner is that a dust/sand storm caused poor visibility. If so, then why just the one vessel? Am I mistaken in assuming they have very modern navigation technology on board to assist with piloting the ship in any conditions? My gut says either mechanical or human error may be involved.
What a mess.
 
Heatherg21 said:
I put this on my projector today and showed all of my students (chem, physics, earth and space science). I thought it was relevant to physics for sure and earth science. They were baffled. I pointed out the log jam of ships, the affect on economy, delivery of goods etc.
Then I showed them the images from USMMA SAF 'rough winter' post of the ships losing containers. They got a little green under the gills watching the video of the tanker in the North Pacific.

They couldn't believe the enlisted on the decks of the Navy vessel that @Capt MJ had posted the video of transferring fuel and goods. They have a new level of respect for Sailors.

Ship tracker app is amazing and they really enjoyed looking at the patterns of heavy traffic. Seeing the different types of vessels was fun. They really perked up at the 'armed guards' onboard vessel ships. Had to walk through piracy at sea.

Perfect segue into why no country should be so reliant on the goods of others.

We may have the ability to manufacture and pilot these massive merchant ships but we may need to devise a plan to update the canals to handle them.
Also, from the mariners on this site I am curious about something.
The word from the ship's owner is that a dust/sand storm caused poor visibility. If so, then why just the one vessel? Am I mistaken in assuming they have very modern navigation technology on board to assist with piloting the ship in any conditions? My gut says either mechanical or human error may be involved.
What a mess.
Click to expand...
I do marine incident investigations for companies and a law firm. I also used to teach at a well know Ship Full Mission Bridge Simulator Training Facility. It's highly likely that the direct cause of this grounding is human error (competency). I've been through the Suez Canal several times and some of those Pilots are not that good. A ship that size ... just a little bank cushion on the bow and bank suction on the quarter and there you go. As far as navigating in a sandstorm. Even the best RADAR/GPS and ECDIS elect chart system technology won't eliminate the need to watch and react while visually conning (directing the helm orders and engine speeds). My guess, the Pilot likely got too far over and thats all she wrote. This could occur so quickly such that he Master didnt take over the conn in enough time. Could also be steering or propulsion failure but I doubt it. Another factor is the under keel clearance ... dont know that ships draft ...but there was not much UKC...which makes the ship handling much more sluggish and unpredictable. Lots of hydrodynamics here. Also we will likely not get the real story from the Egyptian Pilots-thats just the way it is there. Here's a video for those interested.
 
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Someone was doing the math on how big a sail a ship like that is: 400m long times (12m from water to deck + 10 containers tall *8' each) with a crosswind gusting to 40 knots means a huge sideways force in a canal only a quarter mile wide. It's kind of surprising it doesn't happen more often.
 
Heatherg21 said:
I put this on my projector today and showed all of my students (chem, physics, earth and space science). I thought it was relevant to physics for sure and earth science. They were baffled. I pointed out the log jam of ships, the affect on economy, delivery of goods etc.
Then I showed them the images from USMMA SAF 'rough winter' post of the ships losing containers. They got a little green under the gills watching the video of the tanker in the North Pacific.

They couldn't believe the enlisted on the decks of the Navy vessel that @Capt MJ had posted the video of transferring fuel and goods. They have a new level of respect for Sailors.

Ship tracker app is amazing and they really enjoyed looking at the patterns of heavy traffic. Seeing the different types of vessels was fun. They really perked up at the 'armed guards' onboard vessel ships. Had to walk through piracy at sea.

Perfect segue into why no country should be so reliant on the goods of others.

We may have the ability to manufacture and pilot these massive merchant ships but we may need to devise a plan to update the canals to handle them.
Also, from the mariners on this site I am curious about something.
The word from the ship's owner is that a dust/sand storm caused poor visibility. If so, then why just the one vessel? Am I mistaken in assuming they have very modern navigation technology on board to assist with piloting the ship in any conditions? My gut says either mechanical or human error may be involved.
What a mess.
Click to expand...
Lots of discussion and insider info in the SWO world. Canal is approx 1000 feet wide there and ship is 1200 feet long.
Reportedly there was a "dropping of the load" (power outtage) with loss of steering control which combined with a big crosswind.
As previously stated, this ship has a HUGE sail area and the wind will take it and move it when the ship is not propelling itself properly.
I have fought the wind while maneuvering many times - generally when going very like when mooring to a pier or anchoring. A good
SWO shiphandling training lesson is to pick up a man overboard which requires "circling back" and stopping nearby. This is a very good
time to show baby-SWOs about working with a crosswind because it is so difficult.
 
OldRetSWO said:
Lots of discussion and insider info in the SWO world. Canal is approx 1000 feet wide there and ship is 1200 feet long.
Reportedly there was a "dropping of the load" (power outtage) with loss of steering control which combined with a big crosswind.
As previously stated, this ship has a HUGE sail area and the wind will take it and move it when the ship is not propelling itself properly.
I have fought the wind while maneuvering many times - generally when going very like when mooring to a pier or anchoring. A good
SWO shiphandling training lesson is to pick up a man overboard which requires "circling back" and stopping nearby. This is a very good
time to show baby-SWOs about working with a crosswind because it is so difficult.
Click to expand...
I appreciate your insight. I understand the sail affect. It would be massive considering that the ship is almost 1/4 mile in length.
My brain accounted for that but naively assumed they would have the ability to counter with propulsion.
I grew sailing with my dad and can only imagine the impact of high wind on a sail of that size. Or the terror that must strike when you know you cannot counter it.
 
Don't Give Up the Ship said:
I do marine incident investigations for companies and a law firm. I also used to teach at a well know Ship Full Mission Bridge Simulator Training Facility. It's highly likely that the direct cause of this grounding is human error (competency). I've been through the Suez Canal several times and some of those Pilots are not that good. A ship that size ... just a little bank cushion on the bow and bank suction on the quarter and there you go. As far as navigating in a sandstorm. Even the best RADAR/GPS and ECDIS elect chart system technology won't eliminate the need to watch and react while visually conning (directing the helm orders and engine speeds). My guess, the Pilot likely got too far over and thats all she wrote. This could occur so quickly such that he Master didnt take over the conn in enough time. Could also be steering or propulsion failure but I doubt it. Another factor is the under keel clearance ... dont know that ships draft ...but there was not much UKC...which makes the ship handling much more sluggish and unpredictable. Lots of hydrodynamics here. Also we will likely not get the real story from the Egyptian Pilots-thats just the way it is there. Here's a video for those interested.
Click to expand...
Dang you have a super cool job!
In my mind the larger the method of transportation the smaller the room for error.
I’m glad that humans were hurt. Just pocketbooks and timetables so far.
From what I read today the winds were reported at @40 knots. And ‘bank effect’ may have been in play which you mentioned.
It’s very interesting to me. Our DS is listing heavily to SWO, nuke SWO so this could all be relevant to him in the future.

I’m thinking some poor sap’s head will have to roll to appease the masses. Possible law suits to ship ownership for delay of delivery and contracts not met. Not to mention costs of salvage and Re floating if possible.

Have we now built ships too big to manage in these conditions and in narrow canals? Are we ahead of ourselves in the chase for transporting more in one trip?

Thanks for the insight.
 
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Heatherg21 said:
I appreciate your insight. I understand the sail affect. It would be massive considering that the ship is almost 1/4 mile in length.
My brain accounted for that but naively assumed they would have the ability to counter with propulsion.
I grew sailing with my dad and can only imagine the impact of high wind on a sail of that size. Or the terror that must strike when you know you cannot counter it.
Click to expand...
Yes the "sail area" is a large factor....but not a new one. Both the Master and Pilot are aware of that and likely have gone through Full Mission Bridge training a lot. Exercises in the simulator would include wind factors and much more. So its not a surprise. I have found that Pilot Associations often have Internal Rules (for example, "can't navigate a certain size/beam/draft ship in more than 25 knots sustained wind". But, often these organizations are really poor at policing thier own rules. The master has the responsibility to look a weather forecasts and not get underway or transit the canal unless it is safe to do so. There are many controls in place....For non-mariners, when transiting the Suez and Panama Canals, Merchant Vessels must use a local Pilot (same for harbors). He/she takes operational control (i.e. the Conn). The Master is still legally responsible but the Pilot has the "Local Knowledge and Skills" particular to that location. Often with large ships, like this one, two Pilots are used...but it's not unusual for the Pilots to not interact with each other and the Ships officers very well. This we call "Bridge Resource Management". I'm not an expert on US Navy piloting practices, but my expiernce is that USN Ships are generaly more effective at BRM...especially if they utilize CIC and wheelhouse teams to provide the right amount of information to the person conning. Some retired SWOs could speak to that better than I. My area is Merchant Ships. There are many factors that are involved in something like this.
 
My third ship, the USS Savannah was a replenishment oiler and she was 659 feet long, 96 feet wide, and had a draft of 35 feet. I just looked that up to refresh my memory. We got underway one summer afternoon on a bright, sunny, and hot day. We were supposed to depart Norfolk in the morning but got held up due to an engineering casualty and missed the window. We finally backed into the Elizabeth River and at the appropriate time threw off the tugs and made way for the Chesapeake Bay but dropped the load just as we approached the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel.

I was prowling top side with my white hard hat with red cross and medical kit. I climbed up to the signal bridge to enjoy the view and saw and heard almost everything. The Bosun on the foc'sle was ready to drop the hook but we were on top of the tunnel. We made way enough to move past the tunnel but Fort Wool was to starboard. A decision had to be made soon on whether to release the anchor or risk running aground. Dropping too soon though would have put us in the channel thus halting ship traffic and maybe damaging the tunnel. We made it past the tunnel and the Fort Wool island and the order came to drop the hook. We didn't run aground and an hour or so later the snipes restored power and were ready to get underway. But, there was another problem. The anchor had hooked an underwater power line that ran to Willoughby Spit. The bridge tried a couple rudder turn maneuvers which didn't free us. Tugs had to come out and move us around until the anchor fluke slipped off the cable.

It was embarrassing but in the end no harm was done. Except for the power failure on the Spit.
 
I am thinking that excavator is not gonna' cut it. Discussed that image with students today and played the video @Don't Give Up the Ship linked for them. Great discussions on currents, winds, sail affect etc. Then we discussed how that excavator is likely not accomplishing much and the poor bugger may end up in the water if he isn't careful.
They might need to move on to those massive suction dredging devices. I am just envisioning with every scoop he removes, there is a pile of sand to replace it.

This is going to affect shipping and commerce for a while. Kids get extra credit for tracking ship tracker and giving me updates on whether they note changes and more ships rounding the horn of Africa.

What a mess, geez.
 
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