Ships
 

I have just seen the following approaching Algeciras, unfortunately too late to take a photograph.
She is being escorted by tugs deploying their fire fighting sprays as a welcome.

She has the largest cargo capacity in TEU of any ship yet constructed, and is the longest ship in service worldwide as of 2013

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%A6...ler_%28ship%29

http://new.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/...hips/219018271

She appears to be fully loaded.

Re: Ships
 

Phew. I was going to say the Maersk Emma. I saw a program on her build on National Geographic channel. I hadn't realised they'd planned to go even larger. Can you imagine if the container you want is at the bottom of the stack:rofl:

Seriously though the program I saw showed the ship being loaded in the far east. All the containers are loaded as per a computer plan. The ship arrives at euroterminal in Holland and the entire unloading of the ship is done without human intervention! The cranes, low loaders everything is under computer control, they are guided by the loading plan sent by email from the far east. Each bay of the ship is given a number and just like automated pickers you see in warehouses the robots do the rest, the vehicles follow magnetic impulses below the road and can store the containers up to 5k away from the dockside. Fantastic to watch, however when you see it you realise just how many people the whole system has deprived of work, it runs to hundreds because unlike people the cranes, trucks low loaders etc run 24 hours a day without shift changes or breaks.

Re: Ships
 

I understand that is why Mearsk have built the New Terminal in Tangiers Med, it is now less competitive to opperate in Algeciras

I did manage a couple of photos after my first post, however at a good distance and not what they should be.
Bear in mind that she is about 4 miles beyond the red ship in the foreground

Re: Ships
 

Absolutely amazing. What I can't understand is the chronology of her construction. From Wikipaedia:

The contract for the construction of Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller was signed on 21 February 2011.[1] Work began with a steel cutting ceremony at the DSME shipyard in South Korea on 18 June 2012. The hull was laid down on 27 November 2012 and officially launched on 24 February 2013.[1]

That must be a mistake surely? First steel cutting June 2012 and launched Feb 2013. It seems impossible that a vessel of that size could be constructed in that time. Or have I misinterpreted something there?

Re: Ships
 

Interesting PR video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMct-d68CM0

Re: Ships
 

Of course it´s a mistakes, it only took 80 seconds! :rofl:
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/world-s-lar...4.html#VvNZlGf

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Yep, I knew Wikipedia must be wrong. :unsure: :lol:

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and no unions to call the guys out on strike because they haven't received their backhanders - which is what killed London Docks faster than the union guy could say "Everyone Out !!"

Re: Ships
 

BIGGERER

This morning the Marie Maersk sailed into the bay.

She is 1 meter longer than the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller and carries 70 containers more, although the same class.

She is also 2 month newer.

20 of these ships have been ordered.

Re: Ships
 

makes you wonder where Maersk get all their money from, but with all these ships being built in FE shipyards with pittance payment labour of course it makes sense.

remember many interesting exercises against their ships over the years, sometimes they were even told what we were doing when we got too close, but never actually slowed one down or got it to change course - that would have cost someone some money.

Re: Ships
 

Must take a hell of a long time and space to pull one of those monsters up in an emergency.

I'm still waiting of my ship coming in, but as I've moved 30 kms inland I guess I could be waiting quite a long time. ;)

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China, where all the shit they carry back and for comes from, ooooh and to add Amazon !

Re: Ships
 

I recall that for some of the large tankers they were talking of 5 miles or more to come to a stop with something like a 4 mile turning circle. Some ships can get structural problems from excessive up and down movement caused by bad weather. Double skinning was supposed to reduce this but as they get bigger and bigger and they bridge the waves anything can happen with a full load not properly supported.

Hence the reason for captains going on an intensive training course using sit in models on the water that simulate the problems.

Not sure about my ship coming in as I am 80km inland ;)
But then I did walk in from the coast with an oar on my shoulder and when someone asked me "what is that on your shoulder?" I knew I was far enough from the sea
:rofl:

Re: Ships
 

Is it a ship or is it not

Well it floats and it's big

The Prelude FLNG facility will be 488m (1,600-feet) long, 74m (240-feet) wide and will displace around 600,000 tonnes of water.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25213845

Re: Ships
 

I believe there were cases of some of them actually splitting into two pieces in heavy seas before sinking maybe back in the 70s.

Was there a one called the Derbyshire that suffered a similar fate ?