Clearing the capsized Golden Ray from St. Simon’s channel

[letusbuyyourcar]

Correct. He is a local hero. That thing could have shut down the port completely if it had turned turtle in the channel. And we’re going on two years now.

Well since we don't live down there anymore I haven't paid much attention to this story. The ship was carrying Kias which means it was headed to or leaving International Auto Processing which is the company I used to work for. My question is what made the ship tip over? I've heard one story about the pilot running aground due to a recent hurricane stirring up the bottom. I've also heard that there were a BUNCH of new Tellurides that weren't strapped down that all shofted to one side.That would be kinda funny to me since that would most likely be the fault of the ILA aka the longshoremen. Those guys act like they're untouchable at the port. If there's an accident on the port the longshoremen is NEVER at fault no matter what.
Right before we moved I drove several Tellurides through processing and to the load lines. They were headed out to Saudi Arabia. I believe the Telluride is manufactured at the Kia plant in GA. Point is I assume the ones on the ship were headed out not coming in. And again it would be funny to ME if this wound up being the fault of arrogant union employees.

 

[rbstern]

Interesting theory.
Think they’re just dragging their feet because it’s a tourist draw?

Absolutely not. They can drag their feet because the cost is being born by a narrow constituency: The owner of the ship and their insurer. If the ship had capsized in the channel, and represented a larger / widely spread economic loss, the motivations by concerned parties (politicians worried about their jobs, capaign contributions and political fallout, for example) to cut red tape would be very high.

One call from the White House is all it takes to get the EPA off anybody's ass. Or on it. Coast Guard max cooperation? Same: One phone call.

Think "Operation Warp Speed." High stakes, so the checkbook comes out and the thumbscrews get tightened on anyone not pulling in the desired direction.

 

[Vorant1]

Well since we don't live down there anymore I haven't paid much attention to this story. The ship was carrying Kias which means it was headed to or leaving International Auto Processing which is the company I used to work for. My question is what made the ship tip over? I've heard one story about the pilot running aground due to a recent hurricane stirring up the bottom. I've also heard that there were a BUNCH of new Tellurides that weren't strapped down that all shofted to one side.That would be kinda funny to me since that would most likely be the fault of the ILA aka the longshoremen. Those guys act like they're untouchable at the port. If there's an accident on the port the longshoremen is NEVER at fault no matter what.
Right before we moved I drove several Tellurides through processing and to the load lines. They were headed out to Saudi Arabia. I believe the Telluride is manufactured at the Kia plant in GA. Point is I assume the ones on the ship were headed out not coming in. And again it would be funny to ME if this wound up being the fault of arrogant union employees.

Info from Car and Driver on what it was carrying, even a loadout PDF link further down the article.
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a34905650/golden-ray-kia-telluride-gm-suvs-on-board/

 

[letusbuyyourcar]

Info from Car and Driver on what it was carrying, even a loadout PDF link further down the article.
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a34905650/golden-ray-kia-telluride-gm-suvs-on-board/

Very interesting read. So nobody thought about how many Fortes and Accents it takes to equal the weight of one Telluride. Its a damn shame for many reasons. I still feel burned by my personal Kia experience with our 201 Soul. But I have to say after driving every model Hyundai and Kia offer at the port my favorites were still the Sedona minivan and the Telluride. The Telluride had more of a traditional straight forward dash and interior. The Santa Fe and Tuscon models are okay ( not for the price) but they have the now popular space ship looking dash with big LCD screens that distract lots of drivers. It's a shame all those new vehicles aint even good for salvage yard parts anymore.

 

[gh1950]

My question is what made the ship tip over? I've heard one story about the pilot running aground due to a recent hurricane stirring up the bottom. .

The Coast Guard inquiry determined that required water ballast was not loaded, probably as a fuel saving exercise.

As far as I know, no one has step up and claimed responsibility
for that decision.

 

[Realstudent368]

The Coast Guard inquiry determined that required water ballast was not loaded, probably as a fuel saving exercise.

As far as I know, no one has step up and claimed responsibility
for that decision.

Gotta be the captain..

 

[lostchild]

Gotta be the captain..

 

[gh1950]

Gotta be the captain..

It is apparently a corporate decision.

What corporate overlooked is that the ship channel has a 90 degree right turn right before entering the channel in front to the pier. A perfect recipe for a capsize.

Of course just like an aircraft, the ultimate responsibility rests with the captain to make sure the craft is seaworthy.

 

[Plinker66]

 

[fuelman1]

Living down here and being a frequent visitor to Jekyll and St Simons I have been watching the process. The longer it sits there the more likely there would be a fire or oil release. Now we've had both. One more cut and it can't come soon enough.

INVESTIGATION: How an expected billion-dollar, trouble-plagued ship salvage may have also undermined federal disaster response laws

Saturday's oil spill is just the latest in a string of setbacks for the snakebit Golden Ray, now on track to be the most expensive ship salvage operation in history.

www.firstcoastnews.com