Anchor 150 miles offshore ?

Jun 8, 2004
2,955
Catalina 320 Dana Point
I'm 60 miles downcoast from Los Angeles and it looks like a floating village of container ships all the way, politicians are saying they are going to make them anchor 150 miles offshore to avoid "congestion". Other than moving the congestion where it can't be seen as easily, I wonder if it's even possible, I think it's REALLY deep there.
 
Nov 22, 2011
1,251
Ericson 26-2 San Pedro, CA
No, they are not going to have them "anchor" 150 miles offshore. They are going to have them cool their heels 150 miles offshore rather than drifting in the near-shore "drift areas" as they have been. (I was at Catalina three weeks ago and spent some time monitoring VTS on channel 14. Because the anchorages were all full they had a waiting list for a spot at anchor. Those on the list were instructed to drift outside the traffic separation zone, maintaining a distance of 3 miles from any other vessel.)

Moving this nautical lounge to 150 miles out will help with the air quality in the immediate San Pedro/Long Beach areas, and also help avoid other problems, such as the ship that dragged anchor in rough weather and weakened the oil pipeline that eventually leaked.
 
Sep 25, 2008
7,438
Alden 50 Sarasota, Florida
LA is only number 17 on the list of busiest ports. Investing in companies which make very long anchor chain might be a great investment.

The ‘solution’ of all these foreign flagged vessels drifting around is a recipe for disaster easily anticipated.
 
Jan 18, 2016
782
Catalina 387 Dana Point
Ayup - just going to be drifting around. I was also over in Catalina 4 weeks ago and must have passed 10-15 of em drifting on the way over. Some of them were correctly reporting NUC on the AIS, most weren't - but speed was the easy determiner - they were all drifting along at 1kt or so.

After years of being very careful to have a CPA of > 1nm to large ships it was very odd to pass within 1/4 mi.
 
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Likes: Rick D
Jan 11, 2014
12,961
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
The strategy is deeper than making them wait 150 miles off shore. The queuing order was also changed. In the past the vessel entered the queue based on its arrival 20 miles offshore. Now the queuing order is based on when the ship departed its last port. This will cause boats to slow down as they cross the Pacific to avoid being forced to drift 150 miles offshore.

 
May 17, 2004
2,110
Other Catalina 30 Tucson, AZ
I'm 60 miles downcoast from Los Angeles and it looks like a floating village of container ships all the way, politicians are saying they are going to make them anchor 150 miles offshore to avoid "congestion". Other than moving the congestion where it can't be seen as easily, I wonder if it's even possible, I think it's REALLY deep there.
Ted: I was in So Ca (Seal Beach) last week. Drove over to San Pedro for USS Iowa. I never saw so many containers stacked up along the way and I lived in So Ca from the middle 70's. I don't know how they'll ever process them. Later we drove by the Queen Mary - trucks were stacked up for miles waiting to get in the terminal. It's a mess and politicians are not capable of solving the problem. Had to fill up the gas tank before I returned the rental car - $4.75 per gallon @ 10 gallons!! If I had driven my Lincoln Aviator instead of flying @ 19 gallons that would be $90.00. I was glad to return to Tucson - our cost of living is 1/2 of what you pay but sadly it's just a matter of time before we, and the rest of America, catch up with you.
 

RoyS

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Jun 3, 2012
1,742
Hunter 33 Steamboat Wharf, Hull, MA
No problem for our Government. They will simply tell the news media to stop reporting on this issue and that will be the end of it. Problem solved.
 
May 17, 2004
2,110
Other Catalina 30 Tucson, AZ
No problem for our Government. They will simply tell the news media to stop reporting on this issue and that will be the end of it. Problem solved.
I mentioned to the guy pumping gas next to me that I thought the price of gas was awful. He just shrugged his shoulders as if to say what else is new -- a good portion of Americans have yet to wake up to what's going on and many never will. I hope the other portion of the population that can make something happen before it's too late.
 
Jun 8, 2004
2,955
Catalina 320 Dana Point
Had a Deja Vu moment while filling the F150 and the pump shut off at $100 because the credit card limit, I remember this happening sometime in the past when the limit was $60.
Sold my house to live fulltime within bicycle distance of the boat, I really don't anticipate anything getting better in the near future. As long as I can get to sea on nice days I'll "abide".
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Jan 11, 2014
12,961
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
This video just came out from Wendover Productions. It does a good job of explaining the break down in the supply chain especially as it relates to Trans-Pacific shipping and why all those ships are anchored out.

 
Jun 11, 2004
1,767
Oday 31 Redondo Beach
This video just came out from Wendover Productions. It does a good job of explaining the break down in the supply chain especially as it relates to Trans-Pacific shipping and why all those ships are anchored out.

Interesting video.

Now they are trying to help reduce the bottleneck by having ships make a "reservation" for a berth before they leave their port of departure. KInd of analogous to the stop lights on the freeway onramps.
 

JamesG161

SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
Feb 14, 2014
7,770
Hunter 430 Waveland, MS
Noteworthy was the Philippine labor source for shipping.

The United States Navy has been using Philippine labor as Stewards, since we received those islands in the Spanish American War.

Jim...