Couple more complications, ratio of “standard” 8’6” 40’ containers vs High Cube 9’6” boxes . Some transits, Panama for example, have sight restrictions limiting stack height forward of the wheel house too.
Weights per TEU also vary widely, some trades, export from US as example, very heavy the norm others, import from China light.
In practice loading the vessel box weight history individual port to port pairs are referenced. Weights as booked by shippers often wrong ship is planned with booked weights, some boxes cut and left behind as she loads while watching drafts. Planners identify potential bills of lading than can be easily cut based on history.
The run You mentioned was always empty .We mostly evacuated mties from WCUSA and always such trip was tiresome 10-11 days with then 24-25 kts in heavy violent rolling as GM was HUGE .
What I found from Chinese folks in Shanghai was that every mpty we brought in from USA was …FUMIGATED by local Heath Authority and they charged the line ( A{PL.OOCL ,CMA CGM for it 20 bucs . Taken into account the volumes across Pacific that was a lot of money Chinese people made fumigating american mpties.
Actually no, company I worked for practically every vessel’s leaves full on Dead Weight. Cargos low value high volume heavy. Largest tonnage was waste paper, less so now Chinese have restricted many types. DDG’s always a volume move. Dried Distillers Grains. Residue from Ethanol production re dried. Logs and Lumber, Scrap metals, mostly higher value non ferrous Aluminum etc, Steel moves in bulkers. Roughly on Teu count half loads half empties. Weight to capacity.
Disclaimer I’ve been retired 5 years situation changed little though. There is a factor we called “velocity” # of box turns per year,sometimes better to return boxes empty as revenue on container turns higher avoiding expensive US inland locations and delays. Logs and lumber often added weeks US load side for fumigation prior loading , Velocity importance only in peak times with Eastbound demands and freights high.
On fumigation and inspections China, they can be very strict sometimes more so than US, particularly food products but 20 dollars per box fraction of what it cost here.
If Mike Schuler and gCaptain crew says it is 4,679 TEU , then it is 4,679 TEU and hundreds of comments like your or mine will not change it and Your education and experience and painstaking explanations will NOT CHANGE IT.
Sad state of affairs. Containerization was ‘invented’ in the US with Sealand and Matson and the US naval arch companies that designed open hatch forest product carriers with longitudinal and transverse box girders that was the precursor to full cellular ships that could accommodate containers below deck with cell guides. Wonder if these these maritime historians know this.
Alias spowiednick,
Suddenly you change your own opinion re: the number of TEU or FEU on board the Dali, read your comments nr 11 and nr 13 of April 2nd.
My statements are based on the pictures of the Dali and its container stowage. That stowage is the reality onboard the Dali. The wordings which you quote from Mr Schuler are his responsibility.
Have a look yourselves at each of the bays on deck, and you will discover where FEU and where TEU are stowed.
This reality has nothing to do with my 50+ years of experience.
In fact, this article, and one other which was quoted in this thread, were the reasons that I initially posted this thread… Even though you are joking here, I initially really thought “If this is posted on gCaptain, that should be credible; I’m really confused!!”.
In practice, this probably was simply copy-and-pasted from some other article, and not checked for details, but it was enough to get me thinking…
Yeah .This is how the propaganda champions practice every day. They repeat a lie a 1000 times and You sort of get used to hearing it . At some point You will believe it even if at some time earlier You got a different opinion. Goebbels , Stalin were prcticing this technique and it works well. And honestly nobody gives a shit about the true numbers here. Sals , Johns and others will take care of keeping the crowds well informed.
Sorry no. The first box boats as they were called were narrow boats carrying coal on the canals in the UK. The coal was in a box containing one and a quarter long tons. There were 13 boxes in the boat that was drawn by a horse. There is one preserved in the canal museum at Port Ashleigh on the river Mersey.
This time they got it right and even split them into categories .WOW!!! i am impressed. ;-). Very professional reporting Mr. Mike Schuler SIR !!!
So as You can see being proverbial pain in the ass is not so bad. Our combined efforts have brought a desired result. Pls accept my congratulations .
WE DID IT
But we can not stop here , we need to rise the ante a litle bit and now demand a stowage plan with weight distribution only . Weight distribution shall not compromise confidentiality and not endanger national security .What do You think ???
Cracking above figures we can figure she was filled to 86% of her total TEU capacity volume wise , we also know for sure that outbound export fm USA contained 55% mpties .
From her reported via Marine Traffic draft we know that she was short ( 15.02 m-12.2m) 2.82 m=282 cm to her full summer DWT capacity which x TPC will give us approximate shortage weight . From picture we know , what her Fwd draft is ( 15.02 m) but she is sitting hard on the ground there. Pity the other drafts after the allision remain unknown. One can fiure a lot of things knowing the drafts before EVENT and after.
. Taken into account the volumes across Pacific that was a lot of money Chinese people made fumigating american mpties. 
