Ghost Fleet of the Recession

GracieP

The biggest and most secretive gathering of ships in maritime history lies at anchor east of Singapore. Never before photographed, it is bigger than the U.S. and British navies combined but has no crew, no cargo and no destination - and is why your Christmas stocking may be on the light side this year

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1212013/Revealed-The-ghost-fleet-recession.html#ixzz0QzpjdNUy

wymondham

Still, now the recession is officially over as stated, all of these will be gone shortly????

amcluesent

Baltic Dry index of shipping futures slumping back.

Decline in goods traded + Quantitative Easing = Stagflation.

Gold going to the moon.

StevieJ

I believe there are a few oil tankers sat off Lowestoft taking advantage of the oil price contango, at least they have a cargo

drc

Fascinating. If you look on Google maps you can see them all sitting there.

PasturesNew

There is a whole bunch up the Helston Creek, Falmouth, Cornwall too:

http://www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/news/fpboating/4505877.Sign_of_sorry_times/

ON the western side of Falmouth bay, anchored almost in line are six ships affected by the worldwide slump in shipping. The sub Panamax container ships ER Cuxhaven, ER Elsfleth and ER Stralsund are from the fleet of German ship owner ER Schiffahrt GmbH.

To the south of the trio is the Belgium registered LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) tanker Methania, a ship that can lay claim to being in the bay for the longest period. The severely depressed LNG market has seen a slump in prices and cargo volumes.

Last December, Methania was anchored off the port for four weeks as its owner Distrigas tried in vain to find a buyer for the ship’s LNG cargo. Methania eventually sailed back to Zeebrugge, where she discharged the cargo at the berth from which she had loaded it. Since then, the 1978-built ship has spent the majority of her time anchored off Falmouth.

To the east of these ships is the container ship Commander, which has been here for several months while her owners try to find a charter.

The refrigerated cargo vessel EW Snowden, complete with thousands of tonnes of frozen chicken loaded in the United States, remains at anchor off Porthoustock after the parent company Eastwind Maritime, based in New York, went into liquidation in June. The company controlled 56 container ships, reefers, bulk carriers, fish carriers and chemical tankers, including new buildings.

Around the coast of the United Kingdom, ships are anchored off ports awaiting orders. Off Brixham, nine large tankers remain in Tor Bay and further offshore.

The Chinese tanker Lian Ping Hu has spent the week anchored off Mullion.

During the 1930s’ slump more than 50 ships were laid up in the River Fal in January 1932

PasturesNew

Also, oil tankers off South Devon:

http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/news/Tankers-boost-winter-trade/article-1327569-detail/article.html

GIANT oil tankers anchoring off Tor Bay are set to remain a permanent feature this winter — bringing in thousands to the economy.

It is estimated the Bay could benefit to the tune of £10,000 a month if there continues to be around 10 vessels off our shores. Brixham in particular will benefit as it provides store deliveries, repairs and crew changes.

The 10 oil tankers currently anchored in Lyme Bay are set to remain stationed here until the price of oil picks up.

There are two other vessels sitting in the Bay, including one chemical tanker.
Chairman of the Harbour Committee Cllr Robert Horne estimated having one tanker anchored off the coast could bring in £1,000 a month to the economy with the required crew changes, supplies and spend on shore

He said Torbay Council would not see any money unless the vessels were actually anchored inside our waters.

But said: "Any form of maritime activity is good for Brixham being a commercial port.

"We are able to provide small engineering works and we are very lucky in that respect.

"Ships in the Bay are always welcome. Living by the sea anything that happens in the Bay has to be appreciated."

Brixham harbourmaster Paul Labistour said around 300 crew members are aboard the ships at any one time, and regularly come ashore to spend money. It's very hard to quantify what they are all worth to the Bay, but it is a significant amount of money," he said.

Coastguards have been keeping a close eye on the ships and say the huge number of vessels anchored in nearby waters is unlikely to abate with the current recession.

But Tony Heslop, area manager for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, has allayed fears that stormy winter weather may lead to crude oil spillages.
Although not all of the current vessels are fully loaded, each can carry up to 250,000 tonnes of crude oil and Torbay harbour bosses have already raised their concerns with the MCA.

Mr Heslop says the agency is carrying out regular surveys of the tankers and can call on the Coastguard tug to standby if necessary.

The Coastguard station in Brixham is monitoring the tankers daily and feeding the information back to the MCA, he added.

"As an agency we want to keep an eye on the ships to make sure there aren't any issues," Mr Heslop said.

"The ships in Lyme Bay are fully manned and fully certificated.

"Tor Bay is a designated deep water anchorage and is a place deemed safe for ships.

"As and when we deem it necessary, we will go out and carry out inspections.

"We are getting out there at least once a week and we have found the ships are in good order.

"We don't have any major qualms about the vessels.

"If we experience extensive bad weather we have the Coastguard tug based in the South West."

Torbay is not unique in being a safe haven for the tankers. Mr Heslop says there are 10 sitting it out in Falmouth and a whopping 37 in Southwold, near the River Thames.

The extended stopover has already proved good news for the Torbay economy with regular store deliveries being made, local contractors carrying out vessel repairs and surveys, and crewmen coming ashore for leave or medical treatment.

Mr Heslop added: "They are just waiting for the markets to pick up and who can say when that's going to happen.

"Obviously, during the winter comes the bad weather which is when the majority of shipping accidents happen, but other than looking closely at the ships in Tor Bay it's not going to be any more of a risk than any other time of the year. Hundreds of these ships are moving past the coastline anyway, every day.
Capt Labistour added: "They know they can be serviced in Brixham and we are doing that.

"We are also managing their waste, supplying all of their stores, food, repatriation, embarkation, disembarkation, water and medical facilities.
"Crews are also coming ashore to Torquay for shore leave using the taxis, hotels, chemists and buying electronic equipment."

Brixham Town Council chairman Chris Bedford said: "Whether the crew come ashore or not is a bit immaterial as they are getting provisions and any repairs done here.

"Those who come ashore will spend money on a pint or going out for a meal.

"The actual benefit is to the shipping agents who are looking after them, which is all benefiting the Bay's economy."

Graham_Devon

Pah, was just going to say about the Torbay ships and see PN got there first!

These have been sitting here a while now, and are growing. Becoming part of the scenery.

Apparently 4 more are arriving soon. Bloody big things!

Afriend_2

PasturesNew is very good with the internet.
She will always find it first.

I have heard she can bend it or slow it down.
It is a little like Neo with the matrix.

PasturesNew

Afriend wrote: »

PasturesNew is very good with the internet.
She will always find it first.

I have heard she can bend it or slow it down.
It is a little like Neo with the matrix.

I have a handy control panel: http://www.turnofftheinternet.com/

purch

Gold going to the moon

Long way to go and collect it. Cost a bl**dy fortune to get there.

Not a lot of use when you need to buy a loaf of bread and a pint of milk !!!!