Express Supply Chain: The ports struggle with manpower issues and many container ships sit and wait to unload. This outbound vessel, the Ulsan Express was fully loaded and heading out...

Steve V Loc: New Jersey

The ports struggle with manpower issues and many container ships sit and wait to unload. This outbound vessel, the Ulsan Express was fully loaded and heading out of Charleston SC. It is now headed to Panama after stopping in Norfolk Va. A seven year old German flagged vessel weighing 143,262 tons, almost 300 million pounds and 1200 feet in length and 157' beam. There are almost as many containers below deck as there are visible above. The tug Moira McAllister gives a gentle nudge when needed.

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rwww80a Loc: Hampton, NH

Look at the waterline. Those must bee empty containers. Full containers would be heavier and push the ship lower in the water.

angler Loc: StHelens England

Excellent set.

Terkat

Good morning Steve,

I always use an American football field as a point of reference for the length / width of these massive objects. In this case four fields in length and 1/2 a field in width!!!!! ALWAYS amazed by these figures. Also always coming to mind is that relatively tiny, squishy and absolutely easily damaged human beings actually built this vessel. That also / always impresses me. Two of the most significant of these constructs being Hoover dam and the International Space Station. There are so many, many more.
Thanks for the post.

All the best to you and yours,

Terry

Steve V Loc: New Jersey

rwww80a wrote:

Look at the waterline. Those must bee empty containers. Full containers would be heavier and push the ship lower in the water.

Not sure. It started the voyage in Savana GA then Charleston SC then to VA Beach. Now to Panama, maybe through Canal and then on to... I don't know enough about the business to know but maybe they are picking up all the empties and then going to Asia and exchanging for full ones?

Warhorse Loc: SE Michigan

Steve V wrote:

Not sure. It started the voyage in Savana GA then Charleston SC then to VA Beach. Now to Panama, maybe through Canal and then on to... I don't know enough about the business to know but maybe they are picking up all the empties and then going to Asia and exchanging for full ones?

Makes sense to me.

rwww80a Loc: Hampton, NH

The empties are usually abandoned or refilled and shipped back. Too expensive to ship air. No value to empty shipping containers except as alternative housing units. May too be sign of the times but lets not get into political and false news issues.

Steve V Loc: New Jersey

rwww80a wrote:

The empties are usually abandoned or refilled and shipped back. Too expensive to ship air. No value to empty shipping containers except as alternative housing units. May too be sign of the times but lets not get into political and false news issues.

Steve V Loc: New Jersey

rwww80a wrote:

The empties are usually abandoned or refilled and shipped back. Too expensive to ship air. No value to empty shipping containers except as alternative housing units. May too be sign of the times but lets not get into political and false news issues.

Ok. Sounds right.

No politics just commerce.

If they empties aren’t shipped back that explains the thousands of empties sitting up by the Newark NJ seaport.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

rwww80a wrote:

Look at the waterline. Those must bee empty containers. Full containers would be heavier and push the ship lower in the water.

Many container ships haul loads of empty containers back to the point of origin for a new load of goods.

Steve V Loc: New Jersey

robertjerl wrote:

Many container ships haul loads of empty containers back to the point of origin for a new load of goods.

Thanks for the view and comments. Now I am confused. But they still make good subjects.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Steve V wrote:

Thanks for the view and comments. Now I am confused. But they still make good subjects.

Despite what someone else posted it is expensive to trash them and replace them - the amount of steel needed alone dictates reuse. Either return them to the point of origin to be refilled or take them somewhere where they have goods going to the point of origin and use them. A given container might go to several places before it makes its way back to where it started.

tcthome Loc: NJ

rwww80a wrote:

Look at the waterline. Those must bee empty containers. Full containers would be heavier and push the ship lower in the water.

Empty or full, they will probably add ballast (via water) once they leave the river/bay & enter the ocean.

tcthome Loc: NJ

Claiming not enough truck driver to move the product is what I hear. Nice photos.

Steve V Loc: New Jersey

tcthome wrote:

Claiming not enough truck driver to move the product is what I hear. Nice photos.

Thanks!