The Most Recent Ship Report Podcast:
Archive Podcasts:
Scientists discover undersea sinkholes in Arctic as permafrost melts
Mar 16, 2022Disturbing news from the Arctic – as scientists discover recently formed giant sinkholes in the ocean floor, which they believe have been caused by the melting of undersea permafrost.
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Marine pilot support staff help make it all happen
Mar 15, 2022We talk a lot about marine pilots on the Ship Report. Alongside those accomplished professionals works a cadre of skilled support professionals – from boat operators to deckhands to helicopter pilots and winch operators, to dispatchers and office staff. These folks together make this amazing matitime work possible on the river every day.
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More on shiphandling: outbound ships and low tide
Mar 14, 2022A look at another facet of the fine art of shiphandling: most of our ships here on the Columbia enter the river light and leave loaded.
That means they have to negotiate low tide somewhere along their journey to the sea, when they have less water under their keels than when they arrived. Pilots do a lot of careful planning to insure that ships are safe at all points along that outbound trip.
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Lithium ion batteries and ship fires
Mar 11, 2022A look at the problematic lithium ion battery, which seems to be the culprit in an increasing number of fires on board car carriers.
Note: image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. The Sincerity Ace, sister ship to the Felicity Ace, which sank in the north Atlantic this month after a fire on board that experts believe was likely caused by lithium ion batteries.
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Who’s on the river today
Mar 10, 2022A detailed look at ships on the Columbia today, who’s going where, what’s on board and more.
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The fine art of ship handling
Mar 09, 2022Today a look at the complicated art of ship handling and piloting on the river, in light of yesterday’s big containership on the Columbia River.
Photo: Pilot boat Connor Foss with rainbow.
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How did that big ship fit in the Columbia River?
Mar 08, 2022Today we take another look at the Navios Unite, that humongous containership that made her way to Portland up the Columbia yesterday. She was the biggest containership ever to call on the Columbia. We’ll take a look at what the limiting and helpful factors are that determine whether a ship can fit on the Columbia.
Photo Credit: Photo by Astoria photographer Scott Saulsbury. This image really shows the immensity of the ship compared to Astoria’s waterfront.
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Are Russian ships coming to the Columbia River?
Mar 07, 2022Today, a look at what it means to say a ship is “Russian,” and what we know about Russian cargo on the Columbia. And the largest containership ever to come into the Columbia heads for the Port of Portland today.
Spring has sprung, or has it?
Mar 04, 2022Today we take a break from sad world shipping news and take a look at spring. And exactly when it begins… a look at meterological and astronomical seasons, which don’t happen at the same time.
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World’s three top container lines stop calling on Russian ports
Mar 03, 2022Signaling their support for Ukraine, the three top container shipping lines have stopped sending ships to Russian ports fter Russia began attacking that country.
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