Ferries and passenger shipping

[Brian-E]

Just had a good laugh, Kieren, at your description of an "appartment block turned on its side". That's exactly right!

[kladner]

Originally Posted by Brian-E

Just had a good laugh, Kieren, at your description of an "appartment block turned on its side". That's exactly right!

They are great ugly boxes. Ships once had far more beauty. A few still do, though even the QM2® has that "container ship" look midships. Compare that to the SS United States in its prime.

In looking for a ship to compare to the QM2, I discovered that the SS US is currently a gutted (but asbestos free) hulk in New York harbor. I saw it referred to as New York's largest abandoned vehicle. However, now Norwegian Cruise Lines has expressed interest in buying the remains and refitting it to be a "state of the art cruise ship."

If they follow through, I hope Norwegian understands that steam power is radically different from the huge diesels in "motor vessels." Boilers require a lot of maintenance, and critically, large superheated steam plants have to be heated and cooled in a very meticulous and time-consuming manner. In particular, I hope they remember the lesson of one of their former vessels, the SS Norway, né SS France.

Here is the NTSB report on the 2003 boiler explosion on the Norway in 2003.

[Nick]

The old QE2 was still better-looking but also had a boiler accident:
http://www.maib.gov.uk/cms_resources...2-fatality.pdf

[kladner]

Originally Posted by Nick

The old QE2 was still better-looking but also had a boiler accident:
http://www.maib.gov.uk/cms_resources...2-fatality.pdf

That is truly a fascinating report. I am still working on it, having reached the beginning of the QE2 STEAM GENERATION PLANT section. So far as I have gotten, it seems that the Engineering crew were meticulous and cautious. I haven't gotten to what the causes of the accident were judged to be. At this point I feel comfortable with the term "accident."

On the contrary, I don't feel that the Norway explosion qualified as an accident, as it was clearly the result of terrible maintenance and bad operating practices.

[Xyzzy]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-1...-libya/6404438

If the worst fears of Sunday's tragedy are confirmed, it will take the death toll since the start of 2015 to more than 1,600.

[fivemack]

Originally Posted by kladner

They are great ugly boxes. Ships once had far more beauty. A few still do, though even the QM2® has that "container ship" look midships. Compare that to the SS United States in its prime.

In looking for a ship to compare to the QM2, I discovered that the SS US is currently a gutted (but asbestos free) hulk in New York harbor. I saw it referred to as New York's largest abandoned vehicle. However, now Norwegian Cruise Lines has expressed interest in buying the remains and refitting it to be a "state of the art cruise ship."

If they follow through, I hope Norwegian understands that steam power is radically different from the huge diesels in "motor vessels."

Why would you expect the refits not to include removing all the steam power kit and substituting a few large Wärtsilä diesel generating sets and some electric thrusters?

(the QE2 incident happened fifteen years after the ship was converted to diesel-electric operation; but it still had steam facilities heated by the exhaust gas from the diesels)

[jasong]

Originally Posted by fivemack

Why would you expect the refits not to include removing all the steam power kit and substituting a few large Wärtsilä diesel generating sets and some electric thrusters?

(the QE2 incident happened fifteen years after the ship was converted to diesel-electric operation; but it still had steam facilities heated by the exhaust gas from the diesels)

Put a propeller on it and let it benefit from wind power.

Btw, any engineers that have NOT seen the propeller-based wind power car that was created a while back? (Humble pie's a bitch, especially for scientists)

[Nick]

A fire has broken out on a Spanish ferry from Mallorca, forcing some 150 passengers and crew to abandon ship.
The Sorrento was travelling to the coastal city of Valencia when the blaze began and quickly got out of control.
The passengers were evacuated from the burning ship on to lifeboats and have been rescued by another ship.
At least three people have been injured and have been taken to hospital by helicopter, Spanish media say. One is reported to be seriously hurt.

Press article: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-32504766

[Xyzzy]

Originally Posted by Xyzzy

We live near Marion and have passed by the marker numerous times.

We totally forgot about this and it looks like we missed the big event:

http://www.sultana150.org/

[Nick]

Tomorrow morning (Monday 25 May), the Queen Victoria, Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth will sail together at Liverpool to mark the start of the city's festival and its historical links with the liners.

11 million emigrants crossed the Atlantic between 1860 and 1900. About a third of them sailed from Liverpool.

http://www.cunard.co.uk/cruise-types...015/liverpool/

[Nick]

Some aerial photographs of the 3 liners together with Liverpool in the background:
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2...victoria#img-2