Time lapse of unloading and reloading a container ship

[Warpy]

This is just to give an idea of how big the ship blocking the canal is and what it takes to unload one of those things.

My best guess says it's going to take a combination of dredging and dragging.

[luvs2sing]

1. Fascinating!

Although, I have to admit watching those tugboats zipping back and forth like speed boats got me to giggling.

[dhol82]

2. I'm surprised they don't do more dredging.

I’m sure the maintenance is very difficult but, the Suez opened in 1869. One would think they would have figured out how to keep it functional by now.

[soothsayer]

3. I think it works until you turn a long ship sideways

Then it’s not so good. Like a tractor trailer jackknifed on a four lane road. It’s fine when the truck is going straight... not so good when it’s sideways.

[dhol82]

5. But at least the truck is on a level highway

The canal seems to have silt on the edges. Makes more of a problem.

[soothsayer]

6. Ah I see

[Warpy]

7. It is functional, there's 2 way traffic through it

I don't think anybody expected a container ship to crash into one of the banks.

[Turbineguy]

4. To unload the Ever Given they would have to put a crane on a barge

And then bring and take away barges with containers.

It would take several weeks to remove 1/4 of the containers to lighten the vessel.

Pumping out ballast might work but could endanger vessel stability.

[Warpy]

8. I think you're right there on all accounts

I read somewhere that the ship is as long as the Empire State Building is tall. The scale of this is astonishing, There isn't going to be a quick fix.

[Turbineguy]

9. They could pump out a lot of ballast

Stability requirements in still water are not as high as at sea. Lighten the ship, move it and pump ballast back in.

It's commonly done to take in ballast while in transit after leaving the dock before getting to sea. Especially where the transit time is long. Tacoma WA to departure is 6 hours. But..... there are traps. Like when leaving Antwerp there's a sharp left turn about 1/2 hour after leaving the dock. I remember once seeing a ship on a sandbank on its side having rolled over in the turn.

[Warpy]

10. I'd be worried about wind, not waves

because the pilot said a sudden strong gust of wind ran it aground in the first place. I'm not sure if I entirely believe that, but I'd still be a bit concerned about making it too topheavy.

It will be interesting to see what they finally decide to do. Once they partially free the bow, tugboats can likely do the rest. There are three deepwater ports on or near the Red Sea (there's a list at Wikipedia), so adequate help should be close by.