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Ship hit Astrolabe Reef, Tauranga


Grinna

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getting some big Mils here is a logistics exercise in itself, let alone the cost of 2000 odd lifts for the containers. Do the numbers:

master mariners and assoc b.s people as previously mentioned now numbering how many in downtown tauranga, Logistics to get Mils here, 2000 lifts +++ versus value of cargo (who knows, last post of call, napier: timer, dairy, meat) equals an interesting equation. me thinks too much for insurance company in the timeframe. My bet they will try some sort of float off/tug job which i suspect could be a waste of time. I wonder how long before we find out which idiot fucked this up and will probably cause the biggest maritime disaster in these waters for some time??

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Cut the bow off.

 

Only the front 1/4 of the ship is on the reef. If all the fuel oil and other hazardous stuff can be moved back past some intermediate bulkhead, they can cut the bow section right off. Would be a tricky exercise. Maybe they could use shaped charges or some other incendiary trickery to cut it remotely in one go.

 

The bow can then be pulled off or tipped over, and dragged into Tauranga.

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pretty effective wingmark for the tauranga race

 

It should be a mark in the AKL-TRG race next year, that added attaction and interest could encourage more to enter.

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Ummm, I don't think the Bow is anywhere near the Riock. It looks like she hit the rock and slid right up on top and is darn near halfway along. 2/3rds at least.

I thought it was a dangerous reef not to have marked with a bouy. Problem solved. It even has lights.

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there should be more visible activity today, gear has been arriving in Tauranga over the last couple of days and expect to so some of it in use over the weekend, all going well....

 

oil ashore would be the least favoured option on the list, removing it from the ship or containing and collecting at sea would both be better options (and straight from the ship is the far superior solution), but yes, they will be preparing for it to impact on the shore as well

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They are not intending to take the oil off till Monday, at which they are going to pump it to the Navy ship. What!?!? they don't work weekends???? The Navy has also Volunteered 500 staff to help. That's kind of like they are just expecting it to wash up and well clean up afterwards kind of attitude. I know several ports have those floating oil booms, why the heel haven't they got them there and sucking the oil off the accumulating pool. Geeez get a clue you clean up guys. It is going to be a mess if that oil gets ashore. And I bet ya the weather net week will stop oil transfer.

 

There was a Huge Transport Jet Aircraft in here at Whenuapai this morning. Bigger than a Star lifter, looks like the Galaxy but I was not so sure it was big enough. Is there a smaller version ????? I could not tell what the letters said, if it was Australian Airforce or United States Airforce. It's gone now. I wonder if it was bringing anything in for oil recovery, or if maybe it was taking the Desalination gear up to the Islands or something.

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Looks to me as if they might want to get a move on, if the ship is not going to break in half - bit of a North East blow coming in next couple of days. Have a look at 1900 Hours Monday

 

http://metvuw.com/forecast/forecast.php?type=rain&region=nz&noofdays=7

 

One hopes NZ Yachting will be monitoring the proceedings and will press the authorities to ensure that all the 1000 or so containers are accounted for if the ship breaks up or founders.

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They are not intending to take the oil off till Monday, at which they are going to pump it to the Navy ship. What!?!? they don't work weekends???? The Navy has also Volunteered 500 staff to help. That's kind of like they are just expecting it to wash up and well clean up afterwards kind of attitude. I know several ports have those floating oil booms, why the heel haven't they got them there and sucking the oil off the accumulating pool. Geeez get a clue you clean up guys. It is going to be a mess if that oil gets ashore. And I bet ya the weather net week will stop oil transfer.

 

There was a Huge Transport Jet Aircraft in here at Whenuapai this morning. Bigger than a Star lifter, looks like the Galaxy but I was not so sure it was big enough. Is there a smaller version ????? I could not tell what the letters said, if it was Australian Airforce or United States Airforce. It's gone now. I wonder if it was bringing anything in for oil recovery, or if maybe it was taking the Desalination gear up to the Islands or something.

 

ahhh one of the joys of this sort of work is everyone else knows better what should be happening and when. To be fair to Wheels that is a general comment on the number of 'experts' cropping up.

 

Be very sure they are exactly aware of the implications of the oil washing up on the beach, and that is an option to be avoided at all costs.

 

regarding the booms, yes all ports have some, and they are called "Harbour boom" because of the size and the sea condition that they will work in, (designed for use IN harbours) they are not up to open water work. There are 3 sites that have BIG boom that is designed for that work, two of those stockpiles of boom are now in Tauranga and being deployed on barges for deployment. This is not small stuff you can throw off the back of a fishing boat.

 

regarding getting the oil out of the tanks, Endeavour doesn't have heated tanks so trying to pump into her is likely to lead to blocked pipes and bugger all progress.

 

The time frame of Monday for fuel transfer, is, as I understand it due logistics regarding the fuel barge, re its obligations, and I guess if its tanks are currently full or empty, i am quite sure the weekend thing is not the controlling factor.

 

I understand Oz is providing some more toys to so that may have been the plane you saw Wheels.

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and apparently the local MP made a big deal of reporting oil ashore on a mainland beach, when a team was diverted from their work to check it out it was found to be ash from a beach fire. Gee even the politicians can be wrong, who knew? :shock:

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Yeah sorry Grant, I try not to be an armchair Admiral, but this situation easily brings out the panic when we don't understand. Plus it doesn't help when the Media throw in wrong info also.

Lets see, so far I have heard, 500Tonnes, 1500Tonnes and 1700tonnes of fuel. Someone that was not related to shipping interviewed that made the comment, 'Hitting that reef would be like trying to hit a Tea cup placed somewhere in the middle of the harbour", Maori TV had some dude going off about no Maori being represented in the discussions, and that the blame lies squarly with the Capt and that he should pay for the clean up. And of course they are really playing on the few seabirds that have come into contact with the oil.

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Yeah sorry Grant, I try not to be an armchair Admiral, but this situation easily brings out the panic when we don't understand. Plus it doesn't help when the Media throw in wrong info also.

 

definitely wasn't singling you out, and besides your comments are pretty sensible and reasonable, unlike some of the rubbish floating around.

 

Trying to win the media battle is always an issue.

 

Part of the problem is we don't have enough of these..... if this was an annual occurrence there would be justification for $20+m worth of tugs, barges etc lying around with full crews playing cards waiting for the next job, I think we are better off with fewer accidents....

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