Video Captures Epic Collision Between heavy Ladened Containerships around the location of the Suez C

SUEZ CANAL: -- Something went terribly wrong aboard Hapag-Lloyd’s containership Colombo Express when it lost control and slammed into the Maersk Tanjong today. Both vessels were heading south through the Suez Canal.

For those who can not view the video.. There are two rather large container ships which are neck and neck in what looks like a race. Then some where around the 2:30 mark something appears to go wrong with the ship on the right guidance system or maybe a sore loser? hahah
It is hard to tell with the video if the ship that made the rather severe course change was in full reverse upon impact... It can take miles to stop a heavily loaded oil tanker or so I have been told..

I would assume pilots were incharge at this stage of the journey and not the normal crew.. Either way, it is a hell of a way to end one's career !


youtu.be...

a reply to: 727Sky

If you have ever seen how the Suez Canal works and the chaos of those entering and the clearance of modern ships (within 8 foot with both sides) its amazing people do not die every year.


There is a reason Asia and even africa are now going to west coast ports and using trains to cross... then even back to boats on the east coast.


Passage through the suez is HUGE monetarily as well if I remember correctly.



I believe from memory that the suez is currently in an expansion phase that will be one of the largest in mankind's history... It is due a huge upgrade.

a reply to: 727Sky
That was crazy.
I was wondering if something happened to the rudder...or the linkage to the rudder - or... How could a helmsman lose control for that long, and that dramatically, unless they were incapacitated in some way.
Looked like everyone survived...and neither capsized or lost cargo...so, I guess, it wasn't as bad as it could have been.

originally posted by: ArmyOfNobunaga
a reply to: 727Sky

If you have ever seen how the Suez Canal works and the chaos of those entering and the clearance of modern ships (within 8 foot with both sides) its amazing people do not die every year.


There is a reason Asia and even africa are now going to west coast ports and using trains to cross... then even back to boats on the east coast.


Passage through the suez is HUGE monetarily as well if I remember correctly.



I believe from memory that the suez is currently in an expansion phase that will be one of the largest in mankind's history... It is due a huge upgrade.

What you say is true however the video shows they have not entered the locks and there is plenty of maneuvering room if judged by the water on both sides of the ships. It almost looked like a race to the locks..

Must be mating season for those behemoths.

a reply to: 727Sky

Yep... I know... but being there firsthand you see the jockeying and showmanship and aggression of the 100 ships on each side waiting and pushing and bullying each other for pole position.


You ever see that crazy animal planet show where the whale hippys are challenging the Japanese whale harvesters? Well it's sort of the same thing.

I mean I am honestly shocked this doesn't happen each week. Remember there are no road lanes in the ocean... and with language barriers their is none to say who is next sometimes. Those two ships were racing to the entry path and played chicken and with that many tons could not stop when there wasn't a chicken.

Like two Sumo wrestlers bumping bellies getting the feel of each other.
We must have two different definitions of epic though.

It looks like an overtake then the ship realized it was in shallow waters so had to make a left to avoid grounding.

originally posted by: glend
It looks like an overtake then the ship realized it was in shallow waters so had to make a left to avoid grounding.

That is what I thought too, and then the boat on the left didn't want to let up to give him room.
While I'm glad it was tamer then I thought cause that means its more likely no on got hurt if this really was just a pissing contest, epic is a stretch.

a reply to: WanDash
Containers were lost... look again at 2:42.

Looks like they had about a 30 mph cross wind and with the large sail area of the black ship the wind took control.

The wind would have been blocked by the black ship and the blue ship would have tended to turn into the black ship as it lost the cross wind.

Both captains should have seen the problem coming and took action before the collision happened

Looks like Wal Mart won't be doing any "price rollbacks" for awhile

I wouldn't call it an Epic Collision.

Seen this type of accident before basically when my 2 tortoises run into each other in the back yard.

a reply to: 727Sky

It's amazing this could even happen, with modern ships so reliant on computer aids and GPS positioning.

Barring mechanical failure, this was a monumental screw-up!

This was NOT an "accidental collision", "screw-up" or "mechanical failure".

This was a deliberate ramming.

The blue ship had improperly overtaken the black one and the black one wasn't going to let them get away with it.

originally posted by: Psynic
This was NOT an "accidental collision", "screw-up" or "mechanical failure".

This was a deliberate ramming.

The blue ship had improperly overtaken the black one and the black one wasn't going to let them get away with it.

And this has been confirmed by the parties directly involved or the two respective shipping companies? Could you provide a link to this information please?

Many thanks.

For me it looked like he was trying to avoid the sandbank on the right side, you can see it arround the 1:55 mark

originally posted by: Sremmos80

originally posted by: glend
It looks like an overtake then the ship realized it was in shallow waters so had to make a left to avoid grounding.

That is what I thought too, and then the boat on the left didn't want to let up to give him room.
While I'm glad it was tamer then I thought cause that means its more likely no on got hurt if this really was just a pissing contest, epic is a stretch.

The bigger ship has a way more modern steering system. They have huge PODS that can rotate 360 degrees. The Big ships was at fault for trying to overtake him without the room to do so. He should have slowed down way before that. That being said do you have any earthly idea how long it takes to stop one of these ships? A guy I know pilots Oil tankers to Alaska. They have to start turning 3 miles before the ship will even respond to the turn, 7 miles to complete a 90 degree turn. It takes 14 miles to stop a big tanker!!!

Ever since the Exxon Valdez accident, Alaska now flies out there own Captains to bring the ships into port. They wont take the chance again.

I cringe when driving someones 60 thousand dollar boat thru shallow water lol. I would have to be on Valium to not have a heart attack being responsible for a that money. Let alone creating a natural disaster.

originally posted by: Psynic
This was NOT an "accidental collision", "screw-up" or "mechanical failure".

This was a deliberate ramming.

The blue ship had improperly overtaken the black one and the black one wasn't going to let them get away with it.

That is a colossal ignorant comment lol. The Blue ship did not ever change course. It was the Bigger ship that went out of control and he even has the better control system. Have you ever drove a boat, I do every day so trust me when I tell you that you are so wrong.

originally posted by: aLLeKs
For me it looked like he was trying to avoid the sandbank on the right side, you can see it arround the 1:55 mark

He is not driving a Fountain race boat lol. He was stupid to aim his ship right at it. If he could not slow down then he could have been blasting away with his deafening air horns to let the smaller ship know he was in a out of control situation and the small ship would have got out of his way if he had deep enough water to his Port side.