I just noticed the REDMER OLDENDORF on the east side of the channel when about 95% of the time ships anchor farther south and on the west side. Does this look like a normal thing to do or did they have some malfunction, it looks like they did a couple of 360 degree turns over there. The bridge they went under is the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.
https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:-76.365/centery:38.993/zoom:14
The circles are from them swinging on the hook.
Just so - the other anchored boats/ships do that too if you zoom in enough. That ship caught my eye going across the bridge, I have not ever seen one or maybe not in many years on that side of the channel and I thought they dragged across.
Looks like she’s in trouble this morning. Halfway down the bay very shallow outside the channel full load of coal stopped.
Guessing engine problems and aground no other reason it’s not a anchorage
This 3rd hand information but sounds reasonable. Pilot anchored her due draft issues. Strong NW winds have lowered the bays level reducing available depth. Coal ship sailing on a long voyage, she’s destined Indonesia, loaded to the maximum
Coal to Indonesia?:
That is very much like the old British saying “Coal to Newcastle”
She’s underway now.
It’s India nit Indonesia and she’s going to anchor again Cape Charles. It’s definitely a draft problem.
Indonesian coal is not suitable for coking coal used in steelmaking.
Probably waiting for high water at the bar now.
My boat is hard aground in her slip right now, the tide is well below normal low tide.
About 20% of total Indonesia export is coking coal.
Coking coal is also known as metallurgical coal. This type is an exclusive commodity in the development of the coal industry. It is called exclusive because this coal has a higher quality than the coal usually produced by coal companies in Indonesia so far.
She’s still at Cape Charles anchorage, AIS showed a “tug” alongside last night, some of the local launches tag as tug though. Virginia Pilots anchored her. Lunar tide range that area about 2 feet, wind driven lower ? In the bay foot or so up or down most I have ever seen. High tides noon today .
On coking coal. Steel mills have very specific requirements for their coal. When a vessel is loaded at Norfolk Southerns terminal rail cars are dumped into the hatch according to the mills requirement. Coal is often mixed from different mines to achieve the requirements. Baltimore load may be the same can’t say sure. American coal shipped to Indonesia is possible, this ship its destination is India
Well, the old British saying is dead, they do carry coal to Newcastle as well these days:
Continuous wind from the north can remove a lot of water, the tide last night was about 2 feet lower than normal low tide. We call these “Bay drainers” and they can be worse, I have seen 4 feet or more below normal low.
OTOH a lot of wind for a long time from the south does the opposite and we get floods.
Pro Tip - The tide tables here are entirely notional when the wind is up for days.
True, only difference wide & deep like Cape Charles anchorage absorbs a lot of surface wind effect . Doubt if they are going to get much effect there. Pilots probably working under extreme caution considering Maryland recent history. Then the Virginia Pilots will be cautious too, since Maryland took precautions.
They are doing 8 knots and past the bridge, their issues seem fixed.
So why is the bulker JNS SEA anchored just off the container terminal in Baltimore? I don’t remember seeing that before.
I too have never seen anyone anchor there before.
