OT video of bridge collapse in Baltimore
- Thread starter kired
- Start date
I'm pretty sure local pilots are used in all international shipping ports worldwide.
Not a structural engineer (mechanical), but I didn't see any protective fender systems there. That's not a surprise on older bridges that rely on experienced harbor pilots and others to guide the ships. But I do wonder how a loss of power or even malicious intent is built into the safeguards. I think we'd all be surprised at how many bridges really are this vulnerable.
So many things going on here:
-Damn good thing it was 1:25 in the a.m. and not 8:30 a.m.
-The black smoke indicates diesel engines and not electric turbines. Wonder if there just wasn't enough electric power to control the diesels from the bridge? It looks like a partial power outage because there are a few lights on when blacked out but fewer each time.
-The rudder is probably hydraulic but would still rely on switches/solenoids etc to relay the signal to the hydraulic cylinders what to do from the bridge. Kind of like having gas heat in your house but having to rely on an electric fan to distribute it.
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I stand corrected, just read one account that said they DID drop the anchor. Still can't imagine the whiplash that might give you if the anchor did grab and catch on the bottom with that much mass moving forward. It looks like at least containers stacked at least 9 high
-Just a total SWAG from a guy that's only got experience in a john boat and a good sized pontoon, but I'm guessing generator failure which was causing loss of the electric power (lights) and inability to steer or keep the engines under control
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That port is huge, and it might be closed until the bridge is removed. It might have another way in or out but if not. Damn
I've watched that same dance from my balcony on multiple cruise ships. Whoever is in control of the boat that drops off the local pilot while the ship is underway is a skilled individual.
Yep. Probably a lot of vulnerability with ships this massive and there's not much you can do for 100k+ tons and a direct impact. Still would like to hear why there weren't any fender type systems like you see on the electric infrastructure next to it.
A structural engineer on some news show said this bridge was completed in 1977. When it was built, it could have taken a direct hit from a standard container ship of the time, most likely. However, in the last 25 years, container ships have almost doubled in size (like this one) and carry significantly more weight, obviously. Thus, the force of impact was substantially higher than what the bridge could accomodate.
I’m not an engineer. Just passing on what he said.
I’m not an engineer. Just passing on what he said.
Reminds me back during my nuclear days when our COO came downstairs to ask if our reactor buildings could sustain a hit from a 747 and survive. One of my colleagues worked for Westinghouse for years and pioneered the structural design of European reactor buildings (whose design was ported over to U.S. facilities) to take a direct hit from a 707. Same principle as described above: planes/ships get bigger, and a 40–50-year-old design may not be sufficient in current conditions and logistics.
Lots of Navy presence also. That bridge removal will be massive and fast.
I struggle to see how a fender would do anything to a boat that massive. I would think it would go through it like paper. If it was hitting at a steep angle, it could deflect the hit i guess. But head on, nope.
The effects of the Baltimore bridge collapse will be horrific. Let me break it down.
If you missed it, the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore was destroyed by a cargo ship that lost power last night.
notthebee.com
To get one of those jobs in Louisiana you have to be very well connected politically or have the same last name as a boat pilots board member. Starting pay is $600,000 a year and up.
https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_r...cle_34d441ca-a196-11e8-9af9-f7c8a29fd5e4.html
https://pelicanpolicy.org/legal-regulatory/its-time-to-reform-the-river-pilots/
That website looks like a real hoot.The effects of the Baltimore bridge collapse will be horrific. Let me break it down.
If you missed it, the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore was destroyed by a cargo ship that lost power last night.
For comparison the 2 bridges at Vicksburg were built in 1930 and 1973
Retailers, car makers, farm machinery producers, etc etc etc will no be raising prices indefinitely
I'm sure they do. I was on a drill ship in the early 80s and we had a pilot take us in to Galvestion, TX once and then later in to Mobile. It is pretty cool watching them hop from a boat onto the ship while underway.
Was the captain vaccinated? Was he promoted through some diversity program? Was he here illegally? This is what happens to infrastructure when we neglect it to spend money on Ukraine and Drag Queens in middle school. Has the brilliant Catturd or Candace Owens figured this all out yet? Wait, I mean, this is also what neoliberalism and unregulated capitalism does when we ignore the wisdom of St. Greta and don't pay a living wage to everyone. No socialist country has ever had a ship lose power and crash into the support beams of a bridge. What is going on in this world?***
Sorry about this. I had to do it. I can't help myself. Go Dawgs. Good luck in Birmingham tonight. Get a win before that big series this weekend.
I’d be looking more at Chinese-made diesel fuel filters as the culprit here.
PSA- use OEM filters in these newer diesels people
Decent info here. Seems like the fenders (aka dolphins) have become beefier as code has advanced. Still not sure if adding was ever considered or if even possible after the fact.
It’s Babylon bee’s frfr site. Way more reliable than XiNN.
Not sure what you found funny there.
That's fair; I'm not sure humor was their goal either. Yet here we are...
Back in the day a friend of mine was a harbor pilot for the Gulfport harbor. Back when most bananas that came to the U.S. went thru Gulfport. He generally came onboard the ship going to Gulfport south of Ship Island. And whoever said harbor pilots make bank was correct.
Can’t speak on others, but Mobile does use local pilots. Cannot imagine any other ports not using local pilots.
So one guy feel almost 200 feet into cold water and then just walked away refusing medical attention…. That’s a tough fella there. Maybe a little dumb too but definitely tough.
Those bridges have been hit with stray barges before. But nothing as massive as these shipment container ships loaded up. That's a lot of mass and force playing head on
I kinda find it astounding how many people think this was premeditated. I can certainly understand questioning it immediately after it happened but with all the info that has come out I don’t see how you can say this was done intentionally.
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