Removal of the collapsed containers from the ONE Apus

Removal of the collapsed containers from the ONE Apus is no easy task:

Fairly risk too.

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The video on this link shows in some more detail the actual removal of the containers. It is one hell of a job. How long will this take all in all?

For the removal enthusiasts an interesting puzzle! Note that the stacks broke away to starboard at the height of the supports and the weight of it pushed the containers underneath to the port side.

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I suppose that the only saving grace is because the trade the ship is in the lower tiers are not reefer boxes.
The spreader of the container crane is fitted with what we used to refer to as “over height gear”. They are used to handle 20’ and 40’ bases for the carriage of machinery, vehicles and yachts etc. Plate glass is another commodity that is often carried in open top containers requiring the use of the gear.

Do you say that because the food would be a rotten mess, or is there a structural difference in refer containers?

There is some extra bracing around the machinery end of a reefer container but I have never thought much about what would be the difference it would make .
I’m glad to say my experience of a stack collapse is zilch.
When the MSC Rena ran up on Astrolobe Reef in New Zealand, after a few days the smell was indescribable. The contents of the reefer containers, mainly seafood and meat began to rot and huge maggots covered the deck.
The guys on the bunker barge offloading bunkers had no choice sitting downwind but the anchor handler on standby had some flexibility.
The surrounding sea teemed with fish attracted by the maggots.

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Nice videos! The containers on top of shifted/not collapsed stacks and their twist locks are all undamaged. The container crane lowers its spreader with four wires/hooks in the corners over the container and two persons on a hydraulic platform connect the hooks to the container top corners. Then the four bottom twist locks are deactivated and the container is free, so that the crane can drop it on the quay. It cannot cost much. It only takes time. Easy job. What can it cost? 2 persons in the air, one crane driver and 5 persons on the quay.
The interesting moment is when all such undamaged containers are off loaded and we can inspect the lowest layer, where twist locks and lashings failed allowing the stacks to shift and some containers to collapse. Then we know why the stacks shifted.
I doubt the incident will cost USD 100’s of millions to sort out.

A post was split to a new topic: MARIN (Maritime Research Institute Netherlands) lashing@sea project

Quite an act, juggling with damaged containers.

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If all or most of the containers are empties, it is a lot easier. Those barge operators in Hong Kong were something to watch. When we use to go to the Hong Kong anchorage for discharge the crew was told to stay off the deck. It was just too dangerous.

I felt quite safe watching sheltered behind my IPad.

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This is awfully crude.

Connecting to just one side on the bottom of a stack of containers and then flipping it over 180 degrees while banging it into everything is ridiculous. Much better to have men ride the hooks and connect 4 hooks to the top of the stack.

I’d like to see a scrap magnet tried out on these empties.

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One ship still not ready to get back into service is the ONE Apus, the most high profile of the six reported Pacific box spills this winter. More than 1,800 boxes were lost on the Ocean Network Express (ONE) ship on November 30. The ship turned back and made for Kobe where container discharging has proved tricky. Latest details suggest the magenta hulled ship will reenter service on March 15, arriving at Long Beach by the end of the month. She has then been out of service for three and a half month, a costly affair on top of all the other claims and damage costs.

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Question remains why bottom twist locks and lashings failed simultaneously in so many stacks. Too many too heavy containers at the top of the stacks?

whats the max angle of roll versus max load of a the current system?
Seems to me a continuous system from deck to top container and back would be better?
Maybe its faster to put a cap frame over the stacks and have less but much bigger holdsdowns to the deck, a few load cells to teach the NA’s wouldnt go astray