"Hold it there, mate. This is my pathetic excuse for a seaworthy vessel, and you're standing aboard it, so you might want to show it, and me, her captain, some respect."
Posted on 04/05/2012 11:14:54 AM PDT by DogByte6RER
US to sink ghost ship dislodged by Japan tsunami
The U.S. Coast Guard plans to use explosives to sink a derelict Japanese ship dislodged by last year's massive tsunami.
The shrimping vessel, which has no lights or communications systems, was floating about 195 miles south of Sitka in the Gulf of Alaska on Thursday morning, traveling about 1 mile per hour.
The ship holds more than 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel and authorities are concerned it could interfere with the course of other vessels as it drifts through shipping lanes. A Coast Guard cutter was headed out to the ship on Thursday with plans to use high explosive rounds to sink the vessel.
If left to drift, the ship would ground somewhere, said Coast Guard spokesman Petty Officer Charley Hengen.
The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency studied the problem and decided it is safer to sink the ship and let the fuel evaporate in the open water.
The Coast Guard is warning other ships to avoid the area.
The vessel, named Ryou-Un Maru, is believed to be 150 to 200 feet long. It has been adrift from Hokkaido, Japan, since it was launched by the tsunami caused by the magnitude-9.0 earthquake that struck Japan last year. About 5 million tons of debris were swept into the ocean by the tsunami.
(Excerpt) Read more at nctimes.com ...
Another story says that it’s too expensive to salvage for what you’d get for it, and that the owner doesn’t want it back, probably for the same reason. You say that scrap iron is $250 a ton. The ship weighs 150 tons. That means $37,500. Minus out the costs of a tug to tow it someplace they’ll actually give you that much and it doesn’t look like much of a business plan. Maybe there’s some value in the other equipment, but keep in mind that it’s been drifting in the ocean for over a year now. A lot of it must be trashed by this time.
Well, since it is a "ghost ship", that is apropos.
Think of the ratings! Ghost and Ghost Ship!!!!
I think it should be loaded with hidden explosives, remotely controled detonators, a tracking device and towed to Somalia. Then left as bait.
Your H.A.T. tagline is needed on this thread.
If explosives are an option then explosives are THE answer.
Perfect.
If one of the options is blowing this up, WHY are there other options?
I think putting a Mk 48 into her would be more fun (though overkill) than a bunch of 25mm HE rounds. USCG really doesn’t get to do SINKEXes so I guess they deserve a chance this time.
Delivery method of the explosives is an option to consider.
But the ability to use explosives rules out all other non-explosive options.
I’d buy it and turn it into a Bering Sea gold dredger.
Also says the boat was getting ready to be scrapped when it was set adrift, so it probably is not operational, nor does it probably have the 2k gallons of diesel quoted here (that is its capacity.)
*UPDATE* In the time between my reading that article and typing this, the Canadians have given up on salvage.
Price that ship out new or good used, and then get a cost to refurbish it, you might be surprised.
There is money to be made on that ship in that condition for free, the hull with running engines alone blasted and painted is worth good money if corrosion isn’t too deep.
I thought it was in running condition when set adrift, if it was already in salvage condition in Japan then everything valuable has already been stripped.
Have fun boys, just don’t put it where the drag nets go.
Don't know about ya'll but you ain't gonna find my butt on board.....
Ok, this is all fine and dandy - blow up a ship.
How many fish will die?
How many penguins will have to be bathed?
Will sea life be evacuated before the explosion?
Will suicide bombers be involved?
What about water pollution?
Will the debris be contained?
Will this explosion increase global warming?
Is osama manning the ship?
Can we at least salvage the diesel fuel before sinking it? Unless it is highly radioactive, let’s use the useable and not have it leak out into the ocean at some future date for liberals to bitch about and turn into an issue.
How hard would this be to tow back for salvage. Or is steel that plentiful today? I would think somebody could tow it to shore for salvage rather than sink her.
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