Comments on: MOL Container Ship Says Screw Hurricane Sandy and Puts the Throttle Down [UPDATE 2]

By: seamonstr

seamonstr — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 07:23:41 +0000

again, is making a story out of armchair quarterbacking a ship’s captain, based only on a little ais data and zero interviews, something this website is really not above? who told you he was “trying to reach norfolk, virginia tomorrow evening?”

By: Arlen

Arlen — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 03:40:33 +0000

Is there an update? Are they alright? my hubby is on that ship and i have not received their whereabouts.

By: Rob Almeida

Rob Almeida — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 01:24:36 +0000

Good question. I have no idea though. I'm quite certain though that MOL read the article, and fortunately the crew of the MOL Paramount make it out ok. It's easy to second guess their decision when the seemingly correct decision looks obvious when you look at it on a computer, but the fact is, they knew that their ship could do 22 knots without trouble, and the time/distance equation gave them sufficient time to get to the south side of the storm before it made its left hook. Also, driving a ship with a 50 knot tailwind in a following sea sounds a lot nicer than maintaining station far offshore in huge seas waiting for the storm to pass. It's risky though because if ANYTHING happens, the ship is up on the beach in a hurry, or stuck in the middle of the storm. Putting myself in the captain's shoes, I would guess he reached a point of no return at some point where turning around was not the best option. All that being said however, the big question is, why did he not divert south toward Bermuda when he had the chance?

By: Claude Salch

Claude Salch — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 01:16:31 +0000

Looks like he made it. Interesting story, just wnated to see how this turned-out. Why did he take such a risk? What was the motivation?

By: Rob Almeida

Rob Almeida — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 01:12:02 +0000

There's an anchorage just to the south east of the Chesapeake Bay Tunnel, I bet that's where he's at right now… Or out to sea and just not squawking his AIS.

By: Claude Salch

Claude Salch — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 01:00:55 +0000

Is there an update? Did they make it alright? If the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay is closed, what then?

By: Koeman H.

Koeman H. — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 19:15:44 +0000

Cross the expected route of the storm assap in orde to get south of the storm. Otherwise he might end up as a bonus to the beachcombers.

By: Tantor

Tantor — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 13:57:44 +0000

Well, if he doesn’t make his schedule we know whose relief will be standing on the pier when the ship ties up. All fits nicely into the age of ISM and MLC 2006.

By: joseph

joseph — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 09:52:40 +0000

MOL may be trying their new vessels’ capacity to weather the storm so that in the future some vessels can sail in any weather.
About berthing on arrival, vessel will declare emergency and will be given approval to come in.

By: grahamthepipe

grahamthepipe — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 06:42:28 +0000

Maybe he wants to show those on board what it feels like to be at the bottom of a circular, gold fish bowl, ‘looking up’. Having been through the eye of a hurricane, back in the 60s,that is how it appears. Everyhing is ‘happening’ around and above you but you are in a ‘flat and calm’ sea, ‘down there’. I’m still here, so it is NOT the end of everything if the same does happen to the Paramount.