Suez vs longshoremen situation – ?
One of the biggest container ships in the world is stuck in the Suez Canal, as everyone who even keeps half an eye on Twitter knows, and is blocking shipping in both directions. When that waterway finally reopens, there’s going to be an almighty rush on ports worldwide.
What I’m wondering is whether our longshoremen’s union is planning any labour action to coincide with what’s bound to be a massive demand for overtime at the port. They rejected the most recent contract offer over the weekend, and while they didn’t threaten an immediate strike, they’ve got to be aware they’ll be faced with a unique opportunity whenever that ship gets unstuck.
Ephraim 18:32 on 2021-03-25 Permalink
The canal is 164km long. It was expanded in 2015 (I went through in 2017) to add a second lane in some areas. about 35km from the Great Bitter Lake until before the bridge. (There is a bridge on one side and a tunnel on the other, otherwise they use launches to get across, sometimes running between the ships. Convoys go twice a day, in each direction, timed with the lanes to allow ships to pass and to maximize traffic. (Location is supposedly 30.01755 N,32.58022 E, which is between Suez and the tunnel.)
The Suez canal was closed from 1967 to 1975. I’m sure the world will survive the fact that it’s closed for a few days. But there is also a railway that runs parallel, so they can always unload cargo, send it by train and reload it on ships on the other side.
James 18:58 on 2021-03-25 Permalink
You can clearly see the ship stuck in the canal and the massive traffic jam created on this site:
https://www.vesselfinder.com/?imo=9811000
Kate 19:28 on 2021-03-25 Permalink
they can always unload cargo, send it by train and reload it on ships on the other side
But you need cranes to unload ships.
Ephraim 19:48 on 2021-03-25 Permalink
Kate – A railway on the west bank runs parallel to the canal for its entire length. It’s specifically there to unload ships, transport goods and reload them at the other end.
Kate 20:22 on 2021-03-25 Permalink
Interesting. I wonder if there’s any chance they can offload some of the stuck boat’s cargo.
Ephraim 20:56 on 2021-03-25 Permalink
No, that’s likely impossible. There is a port with cranes at the either end, but nothing in the middle. Those stuck in the canal are stuck there. And likely no one who is in Great Bitter Lake wants to move, because getting another time slot will be impossible. But ships that are scheduled to go through might be able to switch and let another ship pick up at the other end.
Ephraim 21:10 on 2021-03-25 Permalink
If you have never heard of it, you may want to read about the Yellow Fleet. It’s an interesting story. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_Fleet
Kate 00:56 on 2021-03-26 Permalink
I didn’t know that bit of history, Ephraim. Thanks.
Ant6n 03:37 on 2021-03-26 Permalink
I’m not sure the capacity of a Single railway line or whatever harbours they have at the ends of the Suez Canal compares favorably to the cabal itself.
A 20k TEU ship, when it’s capacity is transferred to rail, would make a train that’s 136km long. Even assuming 1000m trains and 10 trains per hour, that would mean it takes 13.6 hours to bypass the canal for a single large container ship, likely at huge expense.
Apparently around 50 ships usually pass the suez per day, so the capacity of the railway is off by an order of magnitude.
mare 08:06 on 2021-03-26 Permalink
It’s apparently VERY busy around Cape Horn, because ships that aren’t in the canal yet changed course for the longer, but now faster route.
https://mltshp-cdn.com/r/1L6Y1
So the quiet in the port of Montreal, to go back on topic, probably won’t be quiet for very long.
Ephraim 08:14 on 2021-03-26 Permalink
I don’t know about the capacity at all. I do know that it is specifically for that purpose. Israel even signed an agreement with China to build a railway from Eilat to Ashdod to bypass the need for the Suez or create alternative routes. Plan was frozen in 2019. Of course, today, there is another route that is open for a few months in the summer… but not year round…. the northern route.
ant6n 08:21 on 2021-03-26 Permalink
I understand the railway exists to take on some of the cargo of very large ships to allow them to pass the canal by lowering the draft.
JaneyB 18:17 on 2021-03-26 Permalink
@James, @Ephraim and @mare – Fascinating links! Thanks
Orr 23:49 on 2021-03-29 Permalink
With the shipping industry in the news, I just read John McPhee’s nonfiction book on the merchant marine “Looking for a Ship” and it is very insightful about life on the sea, Extensive cost cutting, staff reductions, and upsizing of the ships has not made the experience any better for the sailors though.