2020 Shipping Movements

[Mr Miserable]

It's good that RCC ANTWERP is not being delayed because there is a hurricane forming in the Caribbean.
Currently the storm is known as INVEST 96L but by Sunday it could become a Tropical Storm and then further develop into Hurricane ETA, ETA being the next letter in the Greek alphabet after Zeta.
Yes the hurricane season should be over but this season has been bigger than ever and it clearly isn't over yet...

When RCC ANTWERP departs the canal she has a choice of 2 routes to enter the Atlantic. The Mona passage is the shortest route to Europe but the Windward passage would keep her away from the approaching storm.
It will be a couple of hours after leaving the canal before we know which route she takes. This choice of route and the delays in the canal is what makes our competition so unpredictable. (It's closed BTW but stand by for the TRITON ACE competition tomorrow!)

 

[Mr Miserable]

The lift from Pacific sea level to Gatun Lake is comparatively gentle because it is spread over two separate sets of locks several miles apart.
The 85' drop from Gatun lake to the Caribbean is very apparent because it happens in the one set of locks with 3 chambers.
It's hard to get the impression of height from a photo however the photo below is one I took from the middle chamber of Gatun locks looking down towards the Caribbean.

 

[Mr. Impatient]

Here is the Miraflores locks crossing of RCC ANTWERP. The video has been sped up, the original being 39 minutes long including the dock being drained and filled with RCC ANTWERP setting off on her voyage again.

Now we're expecting an equally brilliant production from the Gatun lock

 

[chacha]

Good Bye Panama

 

[Whoflungdung]

Big Thanks Mr Miserable for all the info been watching this thread since ordering my M3 !

 

[Electroman]

Now we're expecting an equally brilliant production from the Gatun lock

Well.. if you going to be this Impatient you are going to end up Miserable.

 

[Yuha]

Currently the storm is known as INVEST 96L but by Sunday it could become a Tropical Storm and then further develop into Hurricane ETA, ETA being the next letter in the Greek alphabet after Zeta.

That would be a first. The 2005 season got up to Zeta but Eta has never been used before.

 

[Mr Miserable]

RCC ANTWERP is now in the Caribbean and she has updated her ETA for Zeebrugge to 10:00 10 Nov.

 

[Tezlazen]

Now we're expecting an equally brilliant production from the Gatun lock

I’m afraid I missed that one!

 

[ajs117]

Reported arrival 10 Nov 10am UTC, at 15 knots MarineTraffic estimates the 19th! Even with a bit of extra speed how can it make it?

 

[Mr Miserable]

It will make it without much effort.
You have to be careful with some of the websites because they just calculate based on a closing speed which unless the ship is sailing directly towards the destination will be wrong.

 

[Mr Miserable]

While RCC ANTWERP was doing it's thing, I spent some time trying to identify future Tesla ships.
I think I'm pretty certain that GLOVIS CRYSTAL will depart Pier 80 around Nov 18 but that is about it.
I'm struggling to positively identify the ship that is due to load at Pier 80 on 7 Nov. Possibly RCC AMSTERDAM but there are half a dozen equally likely candidates quite frankly.
A little more digging required...

 

[Dr_Johan]

@Mr Miserable: Do you have any new info regarding the Maersk Ohio?

 

[Dr_Johan]

Or even better all the carriers handling Model S and X that takes the alternative route.

 

[Mr Miserable]

I don't really have a handle on Model S or X shipments, as you probably know that is the domain of @Vedaprime .
The ship schedules in question are:

Ship Dep Houston Arr Rotterdam

MAERSK OHIO 19/10 - 2/11

SAFMARINE MAFADI 25/10 - 9/11

MAERSK MONTANA 1/11 - 16/11

MAERSK HARTFORD 7/11 - 23/11

MAERSK IDAHO 15/11 - 30/11

MAERSK OHIO 22/11 - 7/12

SAFMARINE MAFADI 30/11 - 14/12

 

[LongRanger]

Get those home charging installs finalised folks, your new cars for this quarter are gonna be here before you can say “I called Tesla and they said no VIN yet and hopefully will be matched next week”

 

[itzKris]

Get those home charging installs finalised folks, your new cars for this quarter are gonna be here before you can say “I called Tesla and they said no VIN yet and hopefully will be matched next week”

Literally had this happen today lol. ALSO - fun fact, the China Model 3's are all LHD for the European market.

 

[Mr Miserable]

RCC ANTWERP has decided to make a run for the Mona Passage.
She is doing 19.5 kts at the moment which is pretty much maximum speed.
This is probably because she knows that within the next 36 hrs she is going to meet some rough seas requiring her to slow down.
Looking at the latest weather it looks like it was good decision to head for Mona since ships heading for the Windward passage will encounter waves in excess of 12ft on Sunday with torrential rain and 30kt winds - all very uncomfortable in a slab-sided unstabilised ship.
The way these ships behave in strong crosswinds and heavy seas is a little strange in that the ship very quickly rolls back to the vertical after rolling to one side. It makes for a bumpy ride. In a stabilised ship the rolling movement is reduced but so is the righting movement and so although there may be movement it is slow and controlled. Unfortunately, stabilisation systems are expensive to procure, maintain and operate (increased drag) and since there are no paying passengers there is no way they will be fitted to a vehicle carrier.
Every vehicle is lashed tightly to the deck and they are all parked very close together so that should a lashing break and a vehicle become loose it will be constrained from moving much by the other vehicles around it.
Anyway the Atlantic in November does not have a reputation for smooth seas and so this minor disturbance in the Caribbean will prepare the ship for what might lay ahead.......

 

[Mr Miserable]

Literally had this happen today lol. ALSO - fun fact, the China Model 3's are all LHD for the European market.

Fun fact, so far.....

 

[ajs117]

RCC ANTWERP has decided to make a run for the Mona Passage.
She is doing 19.5 kts at the moment which is pretty much maximum speed.
This is probably because she knows that within the next 36 hrs she is going to meet some rough seas requiring her to slow down.
Looking at the latest weather it looks like it was good decision to head for Mona since ships heading for the Windward passage will encounter waves in excess of 12ft on Sunday with torrential rain and 30kt winds - all very uncomfortable in a slab-sided unstabilised ship.
The way these ships behave in strong crosswinds and heavy seas is a little strange in that the ship very quickly rolls back to the vertical after rolling to one side. It makes for a bumpy ride. In a stabilised ship the rolling movement is reduced but so is the righting movement and so although there may be movement it is slow and controlled. Unfortunately, stabilisation systems are expensive to procure, maintain and operate (increased drag) and since there are no paying passengers there is no way they will be fitted to a vehicle carrier.
Every vehicle is lashed tightly to the deck and they are all parked very close together so that should a lashing break and a vehicle become loose it will be constrained from moving much by the other vehicles around it.
Anyway the Atlantic in November does not have a reputation for smooth seas and so this minor disturbance in the Caribbean will prepare the ship for what might lay ahead.......

Knowing my luck, mine is the one that will break loose. Does it happen often and has it happened to any expectant Tesla owner’s on here?

Atlantic forecast looks rough, very likely to encounter swells in excess of 6 meters.