Container Ships - how to they stay upwright?

I've often wondered why it's not possible for containers to have holes in them, filled with some form of dissolvable material that......well, dissolves after a short time in the sea. This would allow them to sink out of harms way. I guess some, filled with the likes of fridges etc may retain enough bouyancy to stay near the surface, but surely most would end up on the seabed??

Is that, rather like me, too simple??

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
I've always thought the same .. and it would let the asylum seekers breathe as well. It would'nt need to be a very big one either. Problem would be I suppose if the stuff inside the container sealed the hole?

<hr width=100% size=1>.. whit way roon should it be again ..
 
No, it's evidently me that's a "bastid" (good job he's on our pontoon, I'll have him waylaid one dark night!) Why can't these blooming Scots spell - and why do they keep breaking down into Swahili every so often?? A difficult race to understand....

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Having had gear shipped around in quite a few containers I can tell you they are not all that waterproof. Next time you are near a container yard have a look at the condition of them. The fork lift drivers are quite good at putting holes in them. Those that aren't brand new have had more battering than a mars bar in a Glaswegian chip shop, and the only reason they float is that they are filled with floaty things, like fridges as you say. If 50,000 go missing each year then most of them must end up on the sea bed, or there'd be a lot more washed up on our beaches, IMHO.

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Yes would agree with that. We ship approx 1500 containers a year in, mainly from China/Malaysia. Generally pretty watertight but not 100% so and wouldn't want holes in them deliberately thanks. Funniest incident last year was container arrived at warehouse with corner of the floor all buckled (clearly been dropped onto something - another container perhaps). Warehouse chaps couldnt offload so we sent back to the forwarder to unload by hand. Next thing was phone call from forwarder on behalf of the shipping co asking whether we minded if they use welding gear / oxy acetalene to repair rather than offload by hand. "Let me see, its full of plastic product, in cardboard boxes, on wooden pallets and you want to get a welding torch on the go underneath it? Erm no I dont think so!"

In the 2.5 years I've been doing this job we've not had any containers lost at sea btw so believe whilst it does happen its a rare occurance.

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Funniest incident I heard of was when a friend went out to Australia some years ago, I think it was for the International 14 Worlds, and the dinghies were shipped by container. Two of the boats arrived with unexplained holes in them, but on inspection it was found that two small oblong patches had been welded to the side of the container, about the same distance apart as the forks on a fork lift truck. Not particularly funny for the poor sods who had to race in a patched-up dinghy though.

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Have a look at this - They don't always stay the right way up !

26402447.Container2.JPG


26402491.Container3.JPG


26402428.Container1.JPG


<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Guy on the dock in the third photo:

"I want the green one there, as soon as you like"

Donald

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Yes you're absolutely right, I knew that!! I should know, I pay several grand for a marine throughput policy!

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Re: So what\'s up with my browser?

Try right click on your mouse over the "X", and select "Show picture"

If that doesn't work, I'm stumped!

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Re: So what\'s up with my browser?

I'm getting 'Forbidden' when I try and fetch the images. I wonder if its doing some form of 'referer' checking? They seem to work if I manually enter the URL though. Odd.

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Re: So what\'s up with my browser?

No I tried that Jim. I'll try the URL when I get a moment. When!

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Re: So what\'s up with my browser?

Funny thing is, having viewed them via the URL, they are now on Jim's post and stay there! Oh well, must have seen the light.

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Re: Jetsom

Wreck is flotsam, jetsam, derelict and lagan found in or on the shores of the sea or any tidal water. It includes a ship, aircraft, or hovercraft, parts of these, their cargo or equipment. It may be of antique or archaeological value such as gold coins, or a yacht or dinghy abandoned at sea, or items such as drums of chemicals or crates of foodstuffs.

Flotsam... goods lost from a ship which has sunk or otherwise perished which are recoverable by reason of their remaining afloat.

Jetsam... goods cast overboard in order to lighten a vessel which is in danger of being sunk, notwithstanding that afterwards it perishes.

Derelict... property, whether vessel or cargo which has been abandoned and deserted at sea by those who were in charge of it without any hope of recovering it.

Lagan... goods cast overboard from a ship which afterwards perishes, buoyed so as to render them recoverable.


<hr width=100% size=1>Utinam logica falsa tuam philisophiam totam suffodiant
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top