Comments on: What happens to shipping containers lost at sea? http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Fri, 24 May 2013 03:03:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Padraig http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html#comment-1049600 Padraig Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1049600 I had a friend who taught sailing in Sydney, who also sailed around the north of Australia, through to India and South Africa and (single handedly) to South America and then to the USA. She said that she always used steel hulled boats because she knew of quite a few people who had come a cropper after hitting what they believed to be containers which hadn't sunk. She said that hitting them with a wooden hulled boat was pretty much the end of your trip...if not worse. I had a friend who taught sailing in Sydney, who also sailed around the north of Australia, through to India and South Africa and (single handedly) to South America and then to the USA.

She said that she always used steel hulled boats because she knew of quite a few people who had come a cropper after hitting what they believed to be containers which hadn’t sunk.

She said that hitting them with a wooden hulled boat was pretty much the end of your trip…if not worse.

]]> By: GetItOffMe http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html#comment-1049605 GetItOffMe Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1049605 My summer internship was with a defence firm, to look into ways that satellite data could be used by poor nations to police their fisheries. While I was there the head accountant, who used to work for Toyota, told me that lots of containers where lost at sea. They're designed to sink, so as to not form a shipping hazard, but if the material in the is buoyant it will float. So I looked into salvage. Turns out, it's not that lucrative when you have to go out and pick up the stuff. The accountant also told me that he's seen containers get smashed flat by waves. Food foot thought. My summer internship was with a defence firm, to look into ways that satellite data could be used by poor nations to police their fisheries. While I was there the head accountant, who used to work for Toyota, told me that lots of containers where lost at sea. They’re designed to sink, so as to not form a shipping hazard, but if the material in the is buoyant it will float. So I looked into salvage. Turns out, it’s not that lucrative when you have to go out and pick up the stuff.

The accountant also told me that he’s seen containers get smashed flat by waves. Food foot thought.

]]> By: Ugly Canuck http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html#comment-1048844 Ugly Canuck Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1048844 Unless things have gotten worse in San Francisco than I've heard, i truly doubt that such a tragedy occurred during this voyage to L.A.. But i cannot help but think that somewhere, sometime just such a tragedy has happened....but who would - or could - know? Practically speaking, it 's just one more thing to worry about while stowing away in a shipping container. Unless things have gotten worse in San Francisco than I’ve heard, i truly doubt that such a tragedy occurred during this voyage to L.A..

But i cannot help but think that somewhere, sometime just such a tragedy has happened….but who would – or could – know?

Practically speaking, it ‘s just one more thing to worry about while stowing away in a shipping container.

]]> By: caipirina http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html#comment-1048602 caipirina Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1048602 Wow ... just imagine this could be your moving container .. with ALL your stuff in it ... Wow … just imagine this could be your moving container .. with ALL your stuff in it …

]]> By: fauxScot http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html#comment-1049629 fauxScot Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1049629 This is interesting, and of course, the stuff has environmental impacts. If you are really interested in this, you might want to research the quantity of military and civilian vessels sunk during World War 2. THOUSANDS of oil tankers and warships were sunk... some with seawater in their holds, but many with oil. They have been corroding on the sea floor for 70 years, give or take. Ammunition and various hazmats are in the mix, too. This is interesting, and of course, the stuff has environmental impacts.

If you are really interested in this, you might want to research the quantity of military and civilian vessels sunk during World War 2. THOUSANDS of oil tankers and warships were sunk… some with seawater in their holds, but many with oil. They have been corroding on the sea floor for 70 years, give or take. Ammunition and various hazmats are in the mix, too.

]]> By: Ronald Pottol http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html#comment-1048864 Ronald Pottol Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1048864 1159=19x61 for what ever that means. Probably all you can fit? 1159=19×61 for what ever that means. Probably all you can fit?

]]> By: alllie http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html#comment-1048609 alllie Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1048609 Lawn chairs probably wouldn't do much harm but tires are toxic. They need to remove that container and its contents, if they can. Hell, the tires might still be okay. Lawn chairs probably wouldn’t do much harm but tires are toxic. They need to remove that container and its contents, if they can. Hell, the tires might still be okay.

]]> By: Ugly Canuck http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html#comment-1048872 Ugly Canuck Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1048872 19x61? That reads the same upside down, eh? That isn't a palindrome...is there a term for such a beast? 19×61?

That reads the same upside down, eh?
That isn’t a palindrome…is there a term for such a beast?

]]> By: cinemajay http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html#comment-1048618 cinemajay Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1048618 A close friend's family lost everything in a move to Australia 12 years ago when his father was transferred for work. The container tumbled into the ocean during a bad storm. Though insurance reimbursed them for their losses, his parents lost family photos and heirlooms--including every photo that ever existed of his little brother. Family and friends helped out with copies of old family photos but they'll never get it all back. Also lost were several short films that my friend and I had made in high school. We never thought to make back-up copies. That one hurt both of us. A close friend’s family lost everything in a move to Australia 12 years ago when his father was transferred for work. The container tumbled into the ocean during a bad storm. Though insurance reimbursed them for their losses, his parents lost family photos and heirlooms–including every photo that ever existed of his little brother.

Family and friends helped out with copies of old family photos but they’ll never get it all back.

Also lost were several short films that my friend and I had made in high school. We never thought to make back-up copies. That one hurt both of us.

]]> By: Gilbert Wham http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html#comment-1048876 Gilbert Wham Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1048876 Tyre quantities are always arrived at by multiplying two prime numbers, as any fule kno. Normally, its 2 x 2, but these guys got carried away. Tyre quantities are always arrived at by multiplying two prime numbers, as any fule kno. Normally, its 2 x 2, but these guys got carried away.

]]> By: technogeek http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html#comment-1048623 technogeek Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1048623 Yep. Cost of sending a container is partly related to where it is on the ship. Those in the "might fall off" areas travel for a much lower cost. If you're well insured and/or can afford to "self-insure" (write off the loss), and the stuff doesn't really care when it gets there, accepting that risk can be a good business decision. This is where some of the escaped sneakers/duckies/etc. news stories come from. Hadn't thought about the containers that don't immediately sink... Yeah, that _is_ a risk. Too many of those and it'll be like running a submarine blockade. I wonder whether there's sonar specialized to recognize these yet. Yep. Cost of sending a container is partly related to where it is on the ship. Those in the “might fall off” areas travel for a much lower cost. If you’re well insured and/or can afford to “self-insure” (write off the loss), and the stuff doesn’t really care when it gets there, accepting that risk can be a good business decision.

This is where some of the escaped sneakers/duckies/etc. news stories come from.

Hadn’t thought about the containers that don’t immediately sink… Yeah, that _is_ a risk. Too many of those and it’ll be like running a submarine blockade. I wonder whether there’s sonar specialized to recognize these yet.

]]> By: Cochituate http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html#comment-1048881 Cochituate Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1048881 Yeah, I was about to chime in with that little fact (aircraft carriers turn out to be good for reef building). With the charming hooks on all the corners, it would be trivial to raise of of these, if you could figure out which ones were valuable enough to salvage. Yeah, I was about to chime in with that little fact (aircraft carriers turn out to be good for reef building). With the charming hooks on all the corners, it would be trivial to raise of of these, if you could figure out which ones were valuable enough to salvage.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html#comment-1048882 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1048882 tricycles = odd # shipments tricycles = odd # shipments

]]> By: Ugly Canuck http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html#comment-1048884 Ugly Canuck Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1048884 Oooh i missed that day in school. i guess that doop, from Futurama, is like 19x61, reading the same upside down as rightside up. Oooh i missed that day in school.

i guess that doop, from Futurama, is like 19×61, reading the same upside down as rightside up.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html#comment-1049399 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1049399 Cory had mentioned this (containers getting lost in the sea) in "For the Win". Just mentioning that because the book was a great read. Cory had mentioned this (containers getting lost in the sea) in “For the Win”. Just mentioning that because the book was a great read.

]]> By: Sparkstalker http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html#comment-1048642 Sparkstalker Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1048642 I wonder what the salvage rights around these things are... I wonder what the salvage rights around these things are…

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html#comment-1048649 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1048649 hmmm, new business venture, locating shipping containers, PROFIT! hmmm, new business venture, locating shipping containers, PROFIT!

]]> By: millrick http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html#comment-1048654 millrick Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1048654 i had the same thought about flotsam from containers http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendly_Floatees http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/elements/shoes.htm i had the same thought about flotsam from containers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friendly_Floatees
http://www.islandnet.com/~see/weather/elements/shoes.htm

]]> By: OrcOnTheEndOfMyFork http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html#comment-1048669 OrcOnTheEndOfMyFork Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1048669 <blockquote>Now, that sentence would make a nice lead-in to telling you about how lost shipping containers affect the environments they drop in on. Unfortunately, though, nobody yet knows the answers to that question. It's not been studied before.</blockquote> My money is on, "It's bad. Really bad." And if I'm wrong, you can have all the contents of the shipping container I lost at sea. Environmentally safe booty. Yarr!

Now, that sentence would make a nice lead-in to telling you about how lost shipping containers affect the environments they drop in on. Unfortunately, though, nobody yet knows the answers to that question. It’s not been studied before.

My money is on, “It’s bad. Really bad.” And if I’m wrong, you can have all the contents of the shipping container I lost at sea. Environmentally safe booty. Yarr!

]]> By: urbanhick http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html#comment-1049185 urbanhick Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1049185 I believe there are robotic creatures living on the ocean floor that scavenge what they can from such containers - much like deep-sea creatures utilize "whale fall" carcasses - to build their army of thing-fish to take over the world. On another note, I once saw a sonar map of the floor of Halifax (NS) harbour. There was a trail of little white dots leading from the mouth of the harbour to the container terminal. When I asked what these were, someone told me they were cars that had been damaged at sea and were just pushed overboard before they docked. Volvos, no less! I believe there are robotic creatures living on the ocean floor that scavenge what they can from such containers – much like deep-sea creatures utilize “whale fall” carcasses – to build their army of thing-fish to take over the world.

On another note, I once saw a sonar map of the floor of Halifax (NS) harbour. There was a trail of little white dots leading from the mouth of the harbour to the container terminal. When I asked what these were, someone told me they were cars that had been damaged at sea and were just pushed overboard before they docked. Volvos, no less!

]]> By: Ugly Canuck http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html#comment-1049187 Ugly Canuck Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1049187 Sounds like a clear case of dumping to me. Sounds like a clear case of dumping to me.

]]> By: pjern http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html#comment-1048934 pjern Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1048934 Somewhere on the floor of the Atlantic is a shipping container containing all of my furniture and clothing from Berlin, and 25,000 photos I took in Asia and Europe, as well as a number of pro film cameras. If y'all find it, I'd like the photos back. You can have the rest of it. Somewhere on the floor of the Atlantic is a shipping container containing all of my furniture and clothing from Berlin, and 25,000 photos I took in Asia and Europe, as well as a number of pro film cameras.

If y’all find it, I’d like the photos back. You can have the rest of it.

]]> By: TNGMug http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html#comment-1049196 TNGMug Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1049196 Actually I've someone in my immediate family in the merchant navy and have been told that going anywhere near storms in the era of satellite uplinks and GPS's pretty much doesn't happen ever if they can help it, and that loosing containers overboard is actually extremely rare. Think of it this way - take a cargo that's both extremely common and extremely cheap (considering all the things that can go in containers) - bananas. A fully loaded shipping container of bananas is worth about 2 million dollars. Just one. So basically they just don't take any chances. Ever notice you hardly ever hear stories of shipwrecks during hurricane season? That's not by accident. Sure everybody worth their salt has insurance, but you can bet your bottom dollar that they do everything to control those insurance costs. Actually I’ve someone in my immediate family in the merchant navy and have been told that going anywhere near storms in the era of satellite uplinks and GPS’s pretty much doesn’t happen ever if they can help it, and that loosing containers overboard is actually extremely rare.

Think of it this way – take a cargo that’s both extremely common and extremely cheap (considering all the things that can go in containers) – bananas. A fully loaded shipping container of bananas is worth about 2 million dollars. Just one. So basically they just don’t take any chances. Ever notice you hardly ever hear stories of shipwrecks during hurricane season? That’s not by accident. Sure everybody worth their salt has insurance, but you can bet your bottom dollar that they do everything to control those insurance costs.

]]> By: senorglory http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html#comment-1049467 senorglory Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1049467 Maggie, your posts are the best. Maggie, your posts are the best.

]]> By: urbanhick http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html#comment-1049726 urbanhick Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1049726 Is that why they sell hots dogs by the dozen, but buns in pkgs of eight? Seriously, WTF is up w. that? Is that why they sell hots dogs by the dozen, but buns in pkgs of eight?

Seriously, WTF is up w. that?

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html#comment-1048711 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1048711 I believe Otters get first dibs, but watch out for Sea Lions.... those pinnepeds know how to bust your balls on the "Off the truck" merchandise. I believe Otters get first dibs, but watch out for Sea Lions…. those pinnepeds know how to bust your balls on the “Off the truck” merchandise.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html#comment-1048718 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1048718 I'd actually guess that the environmental impact of these is trivial compared to the ammount of crud that gets dumped in wetlands, flushed down toilets, etc. I’d actually guess that the environmental impact of these is trivial compared to the ammount of crud that gets dumped in wetlands, flushed down toilets, etc.

]]> By: bklynchris http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html#comment-1048987 bklynchris Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1048987 I once read a fascinating book about the founders of This End Up furniture, "Making Waves" and their life on a Bahamian Island, and sailing about the Caribbean. She recounts a bone chilling tail of a French couple on their sail boat at sea during a storm. This was before GPS. The couple stated in their May Day that they had hit a whale, before they were never heard from again. It was surmised that they had hit a container that went overboard and had not fully submerged. I once read a fascinating book about the founders of This End Up furniture, “Making Waves” and their life on a Bahamian Island, and sailing about the Caribbean. She recounts a bone chilling tail of a French couple on their sail boat at sea during a storm. This was before GPS. The couple stated in their May Day that they had hit a whale, before they were never heard from again. It was surmised that they had hit a container that went overboard and had not fully submerged.

]]> By: desiredusername http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html#comment-1050012 desiredusername Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1050012 Free umbrellas for those with the courage and daring to seek them! Free umbrellas for those with the courage and daring to seek them!

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2011/03/09/what-happens-to-ship.html#comment-1048735 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-1048735 I don't know about the container, but quite often the ship's captain receives his cut of the insurance check. I firmly believe this issue is one of the biggest insurance scams of our time. And our oceans' ecology pays for it. I don’t know about the container, but quite often the ship’s captain receives his cut of the insurance check. I firmly believe this issue is one of the biggest insurance scams of our time. And our oceans’ ecology pays for it.

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