Galicia - Storm Bella

[daves_pad!]

[TonyMWeaver]

2 minutes ago, daves_pad! said:

3 tugs, CMS Warrior and Scotsman from SMS Towage and SD Bountiful of Serco.

Edited December 27, 2020 by TonyMWeaver

[Guest]

35 minutes ago, cvabishop said:

Cruise ships tend to have the best part of a day in ports of call, ferries maybe a couple of hours!

 

Time in port has nothing to do with it. They have plenty of time on passage to do routine maintenance!

 

1 hour ago, Gareth said:

Agreed, anything above the waterline is just cosmetic

Not cosmetic 'if' it had punctured through the steel, although that would not appear to be the case on this occasion.

[TonyMWeaver]

Galicia just given her 15 minute call to QHM, although radioed in as Cap Finistere.

[cvabishop]

A bit difficult to paint the hull when the ship is at sea!

[Tumnus2010]

I've seen on the P&O North Sea boats that they have a hanging platform on rollers available that is presumably for window cleaning and painting duties, as required. That said these boats spend 11-13hrs a day tied up, so time is available that is not on the vast majority of BF. Do BF boats have similar facilities? I can't remember seeing any..

[5_ShortBlasts]

Guys I wish I had never mentioned using engines whilst at anchor as it caused a thread drift.. interestingly I totally understand reversing when deploying the anchor,, the reason I mentioned anchoring with engines it seems some big ship skippers prefer to power against the prevailing wind and tide conditions whereas others reverse...  which I thought odd given it could help the other forces now in unison, drag the anchor more..

Anyway, my question was avoided by those more knowledgeable than me....

The point of my enquiry is they hail the quick thinking crew.., well, I am thinking we all knew when the gusts etc were due, would it not have been prudent to have an engine/s combo on line prior to and throughout the windy peak to try and relieve the strain on the stern lines?

as we know, it is often better to set sail than be in dock.. that is why I mentioned anchoring.  Boats either anchor and have engines on call when needed, or running assisting in keeping vessel where they want, or in my example avoiding snatching chains and keeping a good bite,, or they weigh anchor and go for a sail.. (as many cruise ships did that night)

I just wonder if this ferry should have had engines in gear as it were to assist the lines.. especially with its blunt stern end to the wind!

 

 

 

[Le Quiberon]

There have been a couple of incidents like this at North Shields, Tyneside over the last few years. ‘The King’ (ex-Val de Loire) broke free from her moorings and drifted into an oil platform and ‘The Princess’ broke free from her moorings during stormy weather and briefly coasted down the Tyne until her captain regained control. Footage of the latter is on YouTube and I can upload it if anybody wants me too.

[5_ShortBlasts]

And I should add, admittedly it is using Pods but i know the QM2 sometimes uses one of her pods to stay on Ocean Terminal with a strong westerly blow, including bow thrusters.. indeed I think either her or one of the other Cunard ships lost a bow line a few months ago on Ocean Terminal berth but her drift off the berth was limited as the engines were already in use.  They got away with it as they were prepared.........

Edited December 28, 2020 by 5_ShortBlasts

[jonno]

6 minutes ago, 5_ShortBlasts said:

Guys I wish I had never mentioned using engines whilst at anchor as it caused a thread drift.. interestingly I totally understand reversing when deploying the anchor,, the reason I mentioned anchoring with engines it seems some big ship skippers prefer to power against the prevailing wind and tide conditions whereas others reverse...  which I thought odd given it could help the other forces now in unison, drag the anchor more..

Anyway, my question was avoided by those more knowledgeable than me....

The point of my enquiry is they hail the quick thinking crew.., well, I am thinking we all knew when the gusts etc were due, would it not have been prudent to have an engine/s combo on line prior to and throughout the windy peak to try and relieve the strain on the stern lines?

as we know, it is often better to set sail than be in dock.. that is why I mentioned anchoring.  Boats either anchor and have engines on call when needed, or running assisting in keeping vessel where they want, or in my example avoiding snatching chains and keeping a good bite,, or they weigh anchor and go for a sail.. (as many cruise ships did that night)

I just wonder if this ferry should have had engines in gear as it were to assist the lines.. especially with its blunt stern end to the wind!

 

 

 

Anyone know what PIP's emission rules are for the ferries on the berth?

I know Dublin has banned the use of open loop scrubbers... which are fitted to Galicia. This would determine whether they're allowed to keep their engines rotating and burning fuel or not. It's the reason why Stena have adopted ULSD rather than anything heavier.

Before anyone mentions it, I know Dublin or Rosslare don't come under the MARPOL regs but since the global harmonisation of January 2020 the restrictions are just as robust.

Another observation... when cold ironing inevitably and eventually appears in all ferry harbours meaning the ships will be reliant solely on shore power, how will that effect a similar circumstance as to what Galicia found herself in if engines aren't readily available?

Electro- magnetic tethering perhaps similar to what they use in Helsinki? 

Last question... anyone know what the strength of the Trelleborg Smart Moor quick release hooks is and can mooring ropes lift of them under certain conditions?

[5_ShortBlasts]

Jonno, that is a good point.. I am led to believe shore power will not provide the grunt for electric motors to run the pods of most big ships?  
 

Whilst not Portsmouth, I believe ABP Southampton require above a certain wind strength that ships both at anchor and on berth keep their engines running, or at least a proportion of them? Often heard VTS asking some bridge due to conditions do they have an engine on line etc.

[Cabin-boy]

5 hours ago, jonno said:

Electro- magnetic tethering perhaps similar to what they use in Helsinki? 

Isn't that system used by Wight-Link half a mile down the harbour?

Ed

[Paully]

Tell you what, the Galicia Commandant who drew the long straw, and got Christmas at home must be the most relieved man in France.

[Cabin-boy]

4 minutes ago, Paully said:

Tell you what, the Galicia Commandant who drew the long straw, and got Christmas at home must be the most relieved man in France.

Tied with the medical orderly who didn't have to spend Christmas sticking a thermometer up Macron's backside every 6 hours. 😉

Ed

[Slug]

On 27/12/2020 at 06:20, TonyMWeaver said:

06:00: - Tugs have pushed 'Galicia' back onto the berth, the vessel will be checked for any possible damage.

Is HMS Bristol still moored as shown on the AIS plot with the satellite view? I would guess not as it looks like Galicia's stern would have hit Bristol

[Slug]

9 hours ago, 5_ShortBlasts said:

Jonno, that is a good point.. I am led to believe shore power will not provide the grunt for electric motors to run the pods of most big ships?  
 

Whilst not Portsmouth, I believe ABP Southampton require above a certain wind strength that ships both at anchor and on berth keep their engines running, or at least a proportion of them? Often heard VTS asking some bridge due to conditions do they have an engine on line etc.

I don't see how most cargo ships and tankers can keep a propulsion engine running moored in port.

Large low speed marine engines are directly connected to the propeller shaft, thus the propeller turns all the time the engine is running.  Furthermore, large container ships, for example, do not have the manoeuvrability to rescue most unplanned departure from a quayside scenarios without outside assistance. However tugs do need ships' main engine to be available to provide longitudinal thrust for fore and aft movement/stopping, so it would be sensible to have the engine room manned for a possible short notice start.

On the other hand having the main engine on short standby to start while at anchor in bad weather is sensible.

[TonyMWeaver]

34 minutes ago, Slug said:

Is HMS Bristol still moored as shown on the AIS plot with the satellite view? I would guess not as it looks like Galicia's stern would have hit Bristol

Former HMS Bristol is still there, Galicia took out the South Cardinal Pile and bumped Bristol. Bristol was decommissioned some time ago and now sits empty.

Edited December 28, 2020 by TonyMWeaver

[jonno]

5 hours ago, Cabin-boy said:

Isn't that system used by Wight-Link half a mile down the harbour?

Ed

Dunno Ed?

[Cabin-boy]

14 minutes ago, jonno said:

Dunno Ed?

Actually it's a vacuum system. 

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://bfenthusiasts.com/bfe/topic/11133-wightlinks-new-docking-technology/&ved=2ahUKEwjd5Lj1zPDtAhWHyIUKHa31AVIQFjAFegQIBxAB&usg=AOvVaw0daUhDWkPBcr-tVkk7AMkx&cshid=1609156047007

Ed

[Solo]

1 hour ago, Slug said:

I don't see how most cargo ships and tankers can keep a propulsion engine running moored in port.

Large low speed marine engines are directly connected to the propeller shaft, thus the propeller turns all the time the engine is running.

Someone with more knowledge than me will give a better answer but older ships would have the propeller slowly turning when alongside, don't know if modern propulsion systems still need this.

[IanN]

Older ships would not have had Chinese ropes mooring them. Remember it's also made of Chinese Steel😞 

[cvabishop]

Quote

Someone with more knowledge than me will give a better answer but older ships would have the propeller slowly turning when alongside, don't know if modern propulsion systems still need this.

I thought this was something which harked back to steam days when the steam lines from the boilers to the engines were kept warmed through to prevent condensation and expansion and contraction. They used to do whis with the liner United States.

[Solo]

20 minutes ago, cvabishop said:

I thought this was something which harked back to steam days when the steam lines from the boilers to the engines were kept warmed through to prevent condensation and expansion and contraction. They used to do whis with the liner United States.

That's what I wondered about, if it was the steam turbines that did it. I know that when I started fishing 40 years ago, it's frightening it was that long ago, ships alongside in Falmouth had their props turning very slowly.

[Cabin-boy]

The storm has been causing problems as far south as Corsica with other boats breaking free of their moorings. 

https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/corse/corse-du-sud/ajaccio/tempete-bella-navire-phare-balises-iles-sanguinaires-ii-s-echoue-entree-ajaccio-1909378.html

Ed

[The Ferry Man]

No clear signs of any damage to Galicia today. There's possibly a slight scuff halfway up the white on the port stern corner, and maybe where the transom joins the main structure and belting.

 

*Images enhanced slightly*