Sal, I have been following you closely in the past year. I am a retired Navy Commander, from 1972 to 2000, including three years with the Coast Guard. I was deployed to the Red Sea onboard the USS Tarawa in 1996 and can relate to the current events in that region. In addition, I have worked as a contracted trucker with American President Lines, APL in Port Newark/Elizabeth. I like to keep up with current news, and information, and you are the best at providing that what's more, you provide valuable insight and speak directly to my heart as a seafaring man. Keep up the great work!
My uncle was a merchant seaman during WWII. After the war, he got his papers (Kings Point, I think) and shipped as a 3rd mate until his retirement. In those days, you had to put your card at the port office for the ship you wanted. So, if the ship docked on the east coast, he would drive to the west coast for his next ship. We lived in the Midwest, so he would stop every couple of years to see us kids and my dad. The stories he would tell us about the places he had visited kept us up past bedtime many times. Great memories.
What an interesting comment Sal... "I'd launch a life raft before I got into a life boat with the others" (paraphrased). I'll bet the logic behind that - could make an entire episode... Do Tell!
The Michigan 7's "epic 15 knot run", said with just the right amount of enthusiasm made my day! That was an epic journey and masterful ship handling by the pilot and crew.
I started watching your channel with Dali incident, I have enjoyed watching your channel since. I am a ED nurse in Jacksonville, FL which has nothing to do with shipping but I enjoy learning about shipping. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Sal- I’m a former US Navy Hospital Corpsman and medically retired Paramedic due to responding to the Pentagon on 9/11; working with the Marines during my Navy time, I never had the opportunity to serve on a ship. I’ve learned so much from you about shipping since watching your show that I wish I would have had that opportunity I mentioned above. 😄 Thank you and please keep up the great work! Doc Lykins, VA
Highly qualified Boeing 757 pilots took 16 attempts in flight simulators before being capable of recreating the flight paths used to hit WTC towers 1 & 2. None were capable of recreating the flight path used to hit the Pentagon. The Truth is unthinkable….if you don’t think.
The recognized government of yemen is not even in yemen. the president is currently living in Saudi Arabia. That tells something. This is one good youtube channel on shipping.
Glad someone mentioned it. They're in a hotel in Riyadh. Google Hadi ballot. That was the election Hilary Clinton praised in Yemen but there was only one name on the ballot.
As a wee lad I saw both the SS United States and the SS France sailing out from NYC. Coming from a land locked state they burned deep into my memory. I’ll turn 70 this week, but the vision is as clear as the photos my dad snapped.
The grounding of Fiji's new patrol boat, gifted by Australia, reminds me of when the whalers we used as lifeguards doing boat patrols on Lake Ontario would get swamped; the maiden voyage? That's got to hurt. Australia must be palming their faces...
As an Aussie I'm pretty pissed- this gives me another reason to massively reduce foreign aid, particularly while many aspects of my country are beginning to resemble third-world shithole status!
Learned this key fact listening to Sal, that 95% of all commercial ships built worldwide are built by 3 Asian nations, China, South Korea and Japan. America builds only 0.05% of the world’s ships and a good portion are ferries for the Puget Sound near Seattle. South Korea didn’t even have a significant steel industry until the 1980’s but today they produce 25 to 30% of all commercial ships worldwide. Sal is a great communicator for all things commerce concerning maritime matters, he has a real gift for making “What’s Going on with Shipping”, a must watch even for this landlubber. All the best to you Sal and congratulations on topping 300,000 subscribers.
I worked for a Korean company, someone there told me that one reason the Koreans adopted metal chopsticks so universally was to support the local steel industry.
@@BobHannent I worked at a large bridge fabricator at Harris Structural Steel in South Plainfield NJ 1981 to 1987, left as head of Quality Control. The last major cantilever bridge we fabricated was and is the 5th largest cantilever bridge in the world over the Mississippi River in New Orleans. Harris Structural Bridge built the cantilever portion of the Crescent City Connection bridge for 50 million but the near 5 miles of connector bridges that also was bid out to be fabricated at 50 million that we won, we farmed out to South Korea. Our production staff went to South Korea to assist on how best to fabricate these bridge members. What they told me they found were South Korean military guards everywhere and the whole effort was state sponsored by the government of South Korea. I was told they didn’t have much steel production until this project. They completed their 50 million portion of the connector bridges for less than 25 million. Also the South Korean government paid FOB to ship all the miles of bridge members from South Korea, through the Panama Canal and then to New Orleans. Metal chopsticks in South Korea I bet were common after these New Orleans connector bridge members were fabricated and accompanying steel industry was created for this fabrication effort after 1988 in South Korea. I read Wikipedia on this bridge they do mention Harris Structural Steel fabricated the bridge but no mention the nation state of South Korea built a steel industry to build all the miles of connector bridge members and shipped it all to New Orleans for under 25 million of the 50 million we bid to do it. The owners son told me it was the most money Harris Structural Steel ever made fabricating a bridge and his PE Civil Engineering dad retired soon after.
The hull plating is often thicker on lakers, because they deal with ice in the early and later parts of the shipping season. This lends itself to a long life, as do shorter swells on the lakes. Thanks for keeping us up to date on shipping, Sal!
As always, interesting info even for someone not super-focused on merchant shipping. Also, you do a wonderful job of navigating how political considerations affect shipping without allowing the politics to overwhelm the discussion.
Picking up on your comments about life rafts and boats, I was horrified to discover that many of the lifeboats on the huge cruise ships are double deckers with capacities of over 200 people. Could you do an episode/segment on life boats/rafts on modern cruise ships. With Pax/Crew capacities three times that of Titanic the loss of a mega cruise ship doesn’t bare thinking about.
Houthi are terrorist pirates. lol o ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for me. We kindle and char and enflame and ignite. Drink up me ‘earties, yo ho. We burn up the city, we’re really a fright. Drink up me ‘earties, yo ho. Yo ho, you ho, a pirate’s life for me. We’re beggars and blighters and ne’er do-well cads, Drink up me ‘earties, yo ho. Aye, but we’re loved by our mommies and dads, Drink up me ‘earties, yo ho.
Sal, it's not 'both sides'. Israel is the west's colonial garrison occupying Palestine. For a hundred years the Palestinians have been dispossessed, brutalised, massacred and now genocided by the west and it's proxy, Israel. Ansar Allah (the Houthis) are blockading in support of the Palestinian struggle of liberation from genocidal zionist terror and it's western backers.
SS United States was a sad,neglected, corroding hulk when I spent 6 weeks on a small containership laid up on the Intercontinental Grain Terminal in Norfolk Va opposite her in the 1980’s. She had lumps of structure falling off her then so I dread to think what sort of state she is in now 40 years later - almost dangerous to go aboard I would imagine.
Great video! Thanks for the updates around the world. Also, I’ve just read an article about the SS United States….what a ship! Shame it’s rusting away. Also have been following the dry docking of Battleship NJ! Some really cool videos on their channel! Check them out! Thanks again Sal!
On shipbuilding: a potentially interesting topic would be the financial trouble of Meyer Werft at Papenburg, Germany (main location). Meyer specializes in cruise ships, the big ones. As I understand it, their order book is full, at essentially good prices, but the problem is bridging the period from receiving 20% of the price as a down payment till receiving the remaining 80% at hand-over (or a similar moment). Financing 80% of the amount involved seems to have become the problem. Taking your word, Sal, that US shipyards should resume building certain high-end types of ship, I could imagine them running into the same problem. Me, I don't have "the" solution. However, this problem essentially matches that of building skyscrapers or purchasing (many) seeds before you can harvest (big) crops. Here in Europe, farmers founded their own banks that were tailored to those cycles. I bet that American farmers have found a similar solution.
Howdy Sal. Regarding the SS United States, I am concerned about hull corrosion even though she is sitting in "fresh" water, she hasn't been docked for hull inspection and preservation in something like 5 decades. A refit sufficient to make her habitable for paying customers, either passengers or "hotel guests" would cost hundreds of millions of dollars that very few have any more who would be willing to risk. Your idea of the "Viking Funeral" is probably the best of two probable ends for her, the other being a final voyage to Brownsville Texas where ships go to die ... something that I would hate to see.
Good Episode, Sal! Congrats on passing the 300k mark! It's a shame the Pentagon didn't have the foresight to pick up the SS United States, remove the asbestos, install bunk tiers, and put it in the ready reserve. Fire up the powerplant monthly, use it as a training vessel and maintain it. The cost would probably have been about what they spend on paperclips, copy paper and toner yearly.
Love your channel, you have great information. And many sound common sense suggestions. I wish the politicos and movers or shackers of the USA would hear and vslue your ideas.
When I was working on the refurbishment of the SS INDEPENDENCE at Newport News Shipbuilding, the ship was arrested over a payment dispute. The ships wheel was chained on the bridge and signs were posted “US Government property” on the gangway and bridge. Don’t ask how I knew what was on the bridge.
A few days ago Sal - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - updated its data/advice on El Niño affecting the world - they downgraded it from severe to neutral - this should greatly help out the Panama Canal and low water problem becuse they end up getting more rain and balanced weather
About Utopia of the Seas.... As far as I know she is a fairly conventional Oasis-class design, with no modifications to her food and beverage storage capacity. Converting that space into passenger cabins would likely be impossible since the storage rooms are on the deck below the lowest passenger deck, in a crew-only area, and along "I-95" (the nickname for the busy stem-to-stern corridor that also includes the supply and baggage loading gangways). The passenger capacity for Utopia isn't wildly higher than other ships of her class. Also, cruise ships routinely carry food stocks for one week beyond the current sailing, in case of emergency. While they'll have more frequent "turnover days" at its homeport, the amount of supply storage won't really decrease. Royal's decision to employ Utopia in the short, "booze-cruise" market IS unusual, though, since cruise lines normally assign their newest hardware to longer routes, instead of the "entry level" cruises that are handled by older, smaller vessels.
I loved the section on the SS United States. Her story shows how rapidly the 20th century past itself. What a great liner. She should have been in service 35 years prior. Gibbs story is one that should be known by anyone who loves transportation. I too would hate to see the ship scrapped. Please scuttle her in an appropriate place so people will remember that one time she lived. Thanks for a great video. Regards, RF
The US is following the UK when it comes to the Merchant Marine. People have quickly forgotten just how essential they are. During WW2 they kept the UK fed and the US forces, fed and fighting. Though my father and one of his brothers were in the army, seven of my uncles were Merchant Marine. They mostly operated convoys across the Atlantic and Artic Oceans to the USA and USSR but occasionally went east, far east. They all came home safely and would be deeply upset by the state of merchant shipping for western mariners and ship builders. My brother is a time served Pipe Marine, trained at Camel Laird Ship yard. They tried to get him to return when they re-opened the shipyard a few years. Considering that he was in the last cohort that spent seven years training and one of five who qualified, he said that his current job was more secure. He drives a bus for minimum wage. He told me that he prefers his warm bus to a freezing cold wet yard.
Phew! That was a bit of a Marathon - great work, learnt a ton, and about a famous old trooper, preserving the funnels sounds like a great idea. Safe sailing!
Over 40 knots and 20 knots reversing!? Holy !@#! that is fast in anybody's book. An ocean liner pretty much capable of keeping up with a modern fast carrier group. Damme !
Safe travels! I see the SS United States every time I cross the bridge (a lot) or shop in the area where it is docked. Makes me sad and a little angry and I always hope it is not a metaphor for the country. They never should have let it get to this point. The govt should have acquired it or some wealthy patriot.
I agree on the raft comment. No thanks on being in an enclosed space with a couple hundred of my closest friends. Can you imagine the restocking of that new monster for three and four day cruises with 5,600+ passengers? Wow. 2,500 is wild enough. the Big U needs to be a reef with funnels and plaques removed and taken where you mentioned. It's sad to keep her around just decaying.
I remember the SS United States being docked in Norfolk for many years. I also remember they auctioned off many of her items in the early 80’s. I remember passing her on the dinner cruise boat there and it seemed like it was a ghost ship with no lights on it.
On a much smaller, and more local scale, there is also an effort to restrict cruise ships into Juneau. It doesn't seem to be so much infrastructure but the tolerance of the local people.
I tried to say "shipload of ship stuff" 2 times fast. I actually succeeded the first time, but this was so unexpected that I corrected myself... wrongly, and spoke something truly salty and sailor-style!
SS America, sister ship to SS UNITED STATES, wrecked on Fuertaventura, Canary Islands. My father Pierre Bourdelle created many murals for Dining rooms, etc. Salvaged by the residents of Fuertaventura, before she ultimately succumbed to the ocean.
Funny you mentioned the names of Freedom & Liberty on the proposed closer to shore cruise ships. Perhaps they can repurpose the Navy’s littoral combat ships because apparently aren’t good for anything else. 🤣
I catch a glimpse of Great Lakes freighters in St. Lawrence Seaway, a bit West of the St. Lambert Locks in Lac St. Louis. I'm in Pointe Claire with its famous "Windmill Point" on West Island of Montreal.
shit load references a load of organic fertilizer going to a field, luv the pun cheers. made my morning, never moved a small amount of poop on my mums farm: farming LOL
Lots of content in todays episode. A whole lot. The event that sticks with me is the pending eviction of the SS United States from its berth. I suspect we are witnessing the approaching final disposition of the ship. Will it be towed of to South Asia or will it head to Texas. I don’t think it will be used for a target or reef ship simply because of what she represents and her size. She is a big ship. A really big ship. If she is dismantled, I would like to see her front section along with her funnels saved and incorporated in some architectural structure. The long sweeping bow of the ship is the signature feature of the ship along with her funnels.
What are the structural issues if any? Is it seaworthy? Part of the problem with the Queen Mary floating hotel/tourist attraction is that it’s located in Long Beach, California. Long Beach isn’t a tourist destination. (The City of Long Beach purchased the ship in an attempt to change itself into a destination city, but it hasn’t worked.) The Queen Mary is also expensive to maintain and operate. I’m just guessing but I doubt it’s making any great profits even in a good year. She’s also permanently moored. She’s not going anywhere. I think for the SS United States to be profitable, it would need to operate as a floating casino. It would need to operate out of a port in a popular destination city, and head out to international waters for gambling.
Sal, Can you please explain why you would choose a "life raft" over a lifeboat on a cruise ship in case of an emergency? If there are both life rafts and lifeboats on a cruise ship, how can we identify where the life rafts are located?
The life rafts inflate when they hit the water. So if you need it you will find it on the water. On the ship they look like 55 gallon oil drums near the rails.
I respect the Houthi in their efforts to prevent pollution in their region. Maybe other like-minded pirate organizations should take the same steps to prevent global trade and address pollution. We all can "just stop oil" by eliminating it and all the products and services that use it in our lives.
Not trying to be critical here, the ore boats name is generally pronounced in the Great Lakes Region as the Michey-pee-cotton. Not that anyone could tell by the way its spelled. We have an island out in Lake Superior off the Canadian shore with the same name, Michipicoten Island. Thanks for all your informative information, you have a fantastic channel.
The Houthis are making all kinds of friends around the world. Nothing like real world tests of weapons systems. Have to wonder how much the Iranians are learning from the Red Sea drone test area.
Likely, quite a lot. The drone boat thing seems to be a lesson learned from watching Ukraine against Russia in the Black sea. You can be certain that every little country in the world is watching and learning as well.
Looks like the Houthis are having a ball, just like a carnival shooting gallery with no competition. And then there is the rest of the shipping countries doing NOTHING! Apparently: what have we got --- a cuisinart?
Sal, I have been following you closely in the past year. I am a retired Navy Commander, from 1972 to 2000, including three years with the Coast Guard. I was deployed to the Red Sea onboard the USS Tarawa in 1996 and can relate to the current events in that region. In addition, I have worked as a contracted trucker with American President Lines, APL in Port Newark/Elizabeth. I like to keep up with current news, and information, and you are the best at providing that what's more, you provide valuable insight and speak directly to my heart as a seafaring man. Keep up the great work!
Yes. Sal is the best, isn't he? We are so lucky to have him. ⚓
I was on the Polar Star & we tied-up next to Tarawa when we arrived for Reftra (1984)
Crossing over that 300,000 subscribers. You’ve come along way, Sal!
Still 50 to go, but thanks for all your support and advice.
Heck yeah, Sal! Good job, dude! Way to hang in there!
Thank you for providing great content so consistently!
I think it's the shirts!
You made it!
@@bc-guy852
Shirts at their absolute best!!❤❤❤
Congratulations, Sal, for the meteoric success of your channel! Your credibility and passion are the keys to your success. Thank you, Sir.
I don’t give two ships about shipping but Sal is one of the most effective communicators on RUclips and I’m locked in on every upload!
We need a bigger ship! We call Sal, you see him everywhere. He's a shipping star!
My uncle was a merchant seaman during WWII. After the war, he got his papers (Kings Point, I think) and shipped as a 3rd mate until his retirement. In those days, you had to put your card at the port office for the ship you wanted. So, if the ship docked on the east coast, he would drive to the west coast for his next ship. We lived in the Midwest, so he would stop every couple of years to see us kids and my dad. The stories he would tell us about the places he had visited kept us up past bedtime many times. Great memories.
What an interesting comment Sal... "I'd launch a life raft before I got into a life boat with the others" (paraphrased). I'll bet the logic behind that - could make an entire episode... Do Tell!
Second that. Inquiring minds want to know.
The Michigan 7's "epic 15 knot run", said with just the right amount of enthusiasm made my day! That was an epic journey and masterful ship handling by the pilot and crew.
I started watching your channel with Dali incident, I have enjoyed watching your channel since. I am a ED nurse in Jacksonville, FL which has nothing to do with shipping but I enjoy learning about shipping. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Sal- I’m a former US Navy Hospital Corpsman and medically retired Paramedic due to responding to the Pentagon on 9/11; working with the Marines during my Navy time, I never had the opportunity to serve on a ship. I’ve learned so much from you about shipping since watching your show that I wish I would have had that opportunity I mentioned above. 😄 Thank you and please keep up the great work! Doc Lykins, VA
Thanks for your service!
@@wgowshippingyou are quite welcome, Sir!!
Highly qualified Boeing 757 pilots took 16 attempts in flight simulators before being capable of recreating the flight paths used to hit WTC towers 1 & 2. None were capable of recreating the flight path used to hit the Pentagon.
The Truth is unthinkable….if you don’t think.
The recognized government of yemen is not even in yemen. the president is currently living in Saudi Arabia. That tells something. This is one good youtube channel on shipping.
Good thing we cant be at war with a non state.
+1
Sounds like Ukraine.
Glad someone mentioned it. They're in a hotel in Riyadh. Google Hadi ballot. That was the election Hilary Clinton praised in Yemen but there was only one name on the ballot.
it tells me he wants to remain living.
As a wee lad I saw both the SS United States and the SS France sailing out from NYC. Coming from a land locked state they burned deep into my memory. I’ll turn 70 this week, but the vision is as clear as the photos my dad snapped.
ruclips.net/video/oYRofcGzi2w/видео.htmlsi=cyIrPmUL4qoVMuEj
Thanks for the follow up. Problem, frequently, with the mainstream media is there is no follow up to a story.
The grounding of Fiji's new patrol boat, gifted by Australia, reminds me of when the whalers we used as lifeguards doing boat patrols on Lake Ontario would get swamped; the maiden voyage? That's got to hurt. Australia must be palming their faces...
You can almost guarantee command of that boat was due to nepotisim.
As an Aussie I'm pretty pissed- this gives me another reason to massively reduce foreign aid, particularly while many aspects of my country are beginning to resemble third-world shithole status!
Thanks to your channel, Sal, I'm beginning to wrap my head around the magnitude of shipping providing 8 billion consumers with their "stuff". TY
Learned this key fact listening to Sal, that 95% of all commercial ships built worldwide are built by 3 Asian nations, China, South Korea and Japan. America builds only 0.05% of the world’s ships and a good portion are ferries for the Puget Sound near Seattle. South Korea didn’t even have a significant steel industry until the 1980’s but today they produce 25 to 30% of all commercial ships worldwide.
Sal is a great communicator for all things commerce concerning maritime matters, he has a real gift for making “What’s Going on with Shipping”, a must watch even for this landlubber. All the best to you Sal and congratulations on topping 300,000 subscribers.
I worked for a Korean company, someone there told me that one reason the Koreans adopted metal chopsticks so universally was to support the local steel industry.
@@BobHannent I worked at a large bridge fabricator at Harris Structural Steel in South Plainfield NJ 1981 to 1987, left as head of Quality Control. The last major cantilever bridge we fabricated was and is the 5th largest cantilever bridge in the world over the Mississippi River in New Orleans. Harris Structural Bridge built the cantilever portion of the Crescent City Connection bridge for 50 million but the near 5 miles of connector bridges that also was bid out to be fabricated at 50 million that we won, we farmed out to South Korea.
Our production staff went to South Korea to assist on how best to fabricate these bridge members. What they told me they found were South Korean military guards everywhere and the whole effort was state sponsored by the government of South Korea. I was told they didn’t have much steel production until this project. They completed their 50 million portion of the connector bridges for less than 25 million. Also the South Korean government paid FOB to ship all the miles of bridge members from South Korea, through the Panama Canal and then to New Orleans.
Metal chopsticks in South Korea I bet were common after these New Orleans connector bridge members were fabricated and accompanying steel industry was created for this fabrication effort after 1988 in South Korea.
I read Wikipedia on this bridge they do mention Harris Structural Steel fabricated the bridge but no mention the nation state of South Korea built a steel industry to build all the miles of connector bridge members and shipped it all to New Orleans for under 25 million of the 50 million we bid to do it. The owners son told me it was the most money Harris Structural Steel ever made fabricating a bridge and his PE Civil Engineering dad retired soon after.
Not a ship guy (unless you call a canoe a ship), but I love this channel. Great content.
The hull plating is often thicker on lakers, because they deal with ice in the early and later parts of the shipping season. This lends itself to a long life, as do shorter swells on the lakes.
Thanks for keeping us up to date on shipping, Sal!
“a ship load of ship stuff” 🤣. Also a locker full of Davey’s stuff.
As always, interesting info even for someone not super-focused on merchant shipping. Also, you do a wonderful job of navigating how political considerations affect shipping without allowing the politics to overwhelm the discussion.
Thanks. My Dad graduated from Kings Point Merchant Marine Academy in the 40's. ❤
Well done on 300K Sal!
Thank you once again Sal for important information from a trusted and very experienced professional.
Picking up on your comments about life rafts and boats, I was horrified to discover that many of the lifeboats on the huge cruise ships are double deckers with capacities of over 200 people. Could you do an episode/segment on life boats/rafts on modern cruise ships. With Pax/Crew capacities three times that of Titanic the loss of a mega cruise ship doesn’t bare thinking about.
Like the Costa Concordia
Best shirt ever; and I have loved them all. ❤
I so appreciate your Chanel keeping regular folks informed!
The Houthi saga is really benefiting your channel Sal. Glad to see your channel is growing. Wishing you more success!
Houthi are terrorist pirates. lol
o ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for me.
We kindle and char and enflame and ignite.
Drink up me ‘earties, yo ho.
We burn up the city, we’re really a fright.
Drink up me ‘earties, yo ho.
Yo ho, you ho, a pirate’s life for me.
We’re beggars and blighters and ne’er do-well cads,
Drink up me ‘earties, yo ho.
Aye, but we’re loved by our mommies and dads,
Drink up me ‘earties, yo ho.
@@yedidyah-jedshlomoh1533
Houthis are hero's standing against MURDEROUS YANKEE IMPERIALISM
FREE PALESTINE
that will backfire soon. gotta pick a side.. and live with the consequences.
Sal, it's not 'both sides'. Israel is the west's colonial garrison occupying Palestine. For a hundred years the Palestinians have been dispossessed, brutalised, massacred and now genocided by the west and it's proxy, Israel. Ansar Allah (the Houthis) are blockading in support of the Palestinian struggle of liberation from genocidal zionist terror and it's western backers.
Phew!
Well done Sal, almost 35 minutes full of tongue twisting. Bab El Mandeb, have a drink you deserve it.
Cheers
Always love these roundup videos as they are both focused and reflective. This didn't diasppoint. Thanks!
SS United States was a sad,neglected, corroding hulk when I spent 6 weeks on a small containership laid up on the Intercontinental Grain Terminal in Norfolk Va opposite her in the 1980’s. She had lumps of structure falling off her then so I dread to think what sort of state she is in now 40 years later - almost dangerous to go aboard I would imagine.
ruclips.net/video/oYRofcGzi2w/видео.htmlsi=cyIrPmUL4qoVMuEj
Chapeaux Captain Sal. Reportage par excellence. Surprising reasonable, rational, open minded and hearted ❤. Fair winds and following seas ☝️♥️✌️🌍🙏🇭🇲🇿🇦
Great video! Thanks for the updates around the world. Also, I’ve just read an article about the SS United States….what a ship! Shame it’s rusting away. Also have been following the dry docking of Battleship NJ! Some really cool videos on their channel! Check them out! Thanks again Sal!
Always a great update. Necessary for those of us interested. Definitely a great instructor!!❤
Viking funeral --- yes better than storage in a naval museum due to space and upkeep costs.
On shipbuilding: a potentially interesting topic would be the financial trouble of Meyer Werft at Papenburg, Germany (main location). Meyer specializes in cruise ships, the big ones.
As I understand it, their order book is full, at essentially good prices, but the problem is bridging the period from receiving 20% of the price as a down payment till receiving the remaining 80% at hand-over (or a similar moment). Financing 80% of the amount involved seems to have become the problem.
Taking your word, Sal, that US shipyards should resume building certain high-end types of ship, I could imagine them running into the same problem.
Me, I don't have "the" solution. However, this problem essentially matches that of building skyscrapers or purchasing (many) seeds before you can harvest (big) crops. Here in Europe, farmers founded their own banks that were tailored to those cycles. I bet that American farmers have found a similar solution.
Howdy Sal. Regarding the SS United States, I am concerned about hull corrosion even though she is sitting in "fresh" water, she hasn't been docked for hull inspection and preservation in something like 5 decades. A refit sufficient to make her habitable for paying customers, either passengers or "hotel guests" would cost hundreds of millions of dollars that very few have any more who would be willing to risk.
Your idea of the "Viking Funeral" is probably the best of two probable ends for her, the other being a final voyage to Brownsville Texas where ships go to die ... something that I would hate to see.
R3479..............Kirk Douglas would have approved !!!!
@@dannycalley7777 I've seen ships being scrapped, one of my old ships "died" that way. It ain't pretty.
Good Episode, Sal! Congrats on passing the 300k mark! It's a shame the Pentagon didn't have the foresight to pick up the SS United States, remove the asbestos, install bunk tiers, and put it in the ready reserve. Fire up the powerplant monthly, use it as a training vessel and maintain it. The cost would probably have been about what they spend on paperclips, copy paper and toner yearly.
Keep up the fantastic work informing us about the world of shipping Thanks!
Love your channel, you have great information. And many sound common sense suggestions.
I wish the politicos and movers or shackers of the USA would hear and vslue your ideas.
When I was working on the refurbishment of the SS INDEPENDENCE at Newport News Shipbuilding, the ship was arrested over a payment dispute. The ships wheel was chained on the bridge and signs were posted “US Government property” on the gangway and bridge. Don’t ask how I knew what was on the bridge.
As an australian, very appropriate timing for the sip and 'sigh' .....
I am using my Marine Corps chowhall grade coffee to drink when you speak of that area around the Red Sea
That does not sound like the pale brown water popular in much of USA.
Be careful! I used to fuel the trucks with that stuff!
Dunkin?
great overview of the shipping news, as always, Sal! thanks.
Congratulations Sal! 300K is impressive and well deserved.
A few days ago Sal - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration - updated its data/advice on El Niño affecting the world - they downgraded it from severe to neutral - this should greatly help out the Panama Canal and low water problem becuse they end up getting more rain and balanced weather
About Utopia of the Seas.... As far as I know she is a fairly conventional Oasis-class design, with no modifications to her food and beverage storage capacity. Converting that space into passenger cabins would likely be impossible since the storage rooms are on the deck below the lowest passenger deck, in a crew-only area, and along "I-95" (the nickname for the busy stem-to-stern corridor that also includes the supply and baggage loading gangways). The passenger capacity for Utopia isn't wildly higher than other ships of her class.
Also, cruise ships routinely carry food stocks for one week beyond the current sailing, in case of emergency. While they'll have more frequent "turnover days" at its homeport, the amount of supply storage won't really decrease.
Royal's decision to employ Utopia in the short, "booze-cruise" market IS unusual, though, since cruise lines normally assign their newest hardware to longer routes, instead of the "entry level" cruises that are handled by older, smaller vessels.
You started to call a cruise ship a container ship and I think that’s actually pretty accurate.
I loved the section on the SS United States. Her story shows how rapidly the 20th century past itself. What a great liner. She should have been in service 35 years prior. Gibbs story is one that should be known by anyone who loves transportation. I too would hate to see the ship scrapped. Please scuttle her in an appropriate place so people will remember that one time she lived. Thanks for a great video. Regards, RF
The US is following the UK when it comes to the Merchant Marine. People have quickly forgotten just how essential they are. During WW2 they kept the UK fed and the US forces, fed and fighting. Though my father and one of his brothers were in the army, seven of my uncles were Merchant Marine. They mostly operated convoys across the Atlantic and Artic Oceans to the USA and USSR but occasionally went east, far east. They all came home safely and would be deeply upset by the state of merchant shipping for western mariners and ship builders. My brother is a time served Pipe Marine, trained at Camel Laird Ship yard. They tried to get him to return when they re-opened the shipyard a few years. Considering that he was in the last cohort that spent seven years training and one of five who qualified, he said that his current job was more secure. He drives a bus for minimum wage. He told me that he prefers his warm bus to a freezing cold wet yard.
It's go time!
Phew! That was a bit of a Marathon - great work, learnt a ton, and about a famous old trooper, preserving the funnels sounds like a great idea. Safe sailing!
Sam, you getting even more legendary with every episode 😂
Over 40 knots and 20 knots reversing!? Holy !@#! that is fast in anybody's book. An ocean liner pretty much capable of keeping up with a modern fast carrier group. Damme !
Wow That chart.... reminds me of the black Pearl traversing the desert sand with the help of those pesky public crabs....😂
I love your aloha shirt collection. Your content is great too.
Every time I hear you say 'Hit the bell' I imagine a ship bell sound
Very informative as usual, Sal!
I actually lolled, and got strange looks from the Frau, when you took the drink.
Professor Sal, thanks for an interesting recap on the maritime sector!
Safe travels! I see the SS United States every time I cross the bridge (a lot) or shop in the area where it is docked. Makes me sad and a little angry and I always hope it is not a metaphor for the country. They never should have let it get to this point. The govt should have acquired it or some wealthy patriot.
I appreciate your coverage. Thanx Minica
Liens in anticipation of fines and damage costs in Charleston are exactly the right choice, guaranteeing a remedy will be swift and thorough
Discovered your channel recently and is has helped me understand marine logistics which affects me a lot being in the navy.
Was the infrastructure damage in Charleston due to wake or crappy dilapidated infrastructure.
Really. $23.5 million seems like an already made up total for a bunch of deferred maintenance.
yes
Thanks Sal for this information ,, never knew this was happening before the Dali . 💁♀️
I agree on the raft comment. No thanks on being in an enclosed space with a couple hundred of my closest friends. Can you imagine the restocking of that new monster for three and four day cruises with 5,600+ passengers? Wow. 2,500 is wild enough. the Big U needs to be a reef with funnels and plaques removed and taken where you mentioned. It's sad to keep her around just decaying.
I remember the SS United States being docked in Norfolk for many years. I also remember they auctioned off many of her items in the early 80’s. I remember passing her on the dinner cruise boat there and it seemed like it was a ghost ship with no lights on it.
On a much smaller, and more local scale, there is also an effort to restrict cruise ships into Juneau. It doesn't seem to be so much infrastructure but the tolerance of the local people.
My first time having the right drink while watching!
Thanks Sal
I tried to say "shipload of ship stuff" 2 times fast. I actually succeeded the first time, but this was so unexpected that I corrected myself... wrongly, and spoke something truly salty and sailor-style!
Thanks for the concision for all our benefit sir. Cheers
SS America, sister ship to SS UNITED STATES, wrecked on Fuertaventura, Canary Islands. My father Pierre Bourdelle created many murals for Dining rooms, etc. Salvaged by the residents of Fuertaventura, before she ultimately succumbed to the ocean.
SS America was hull #1 in the Maritime Commission program in 1939 and United States was the second to last.
Fiji’s navy is sinking …. The Red Sea remains closed to most shipping and the world adjusts ….
Hello Sal, greetings from the UK, loving your channel.
Funny you mentioned the names of Freedom & Liberty on the proposed closer to shore cruise ships. Perhaps they can repurpose the Navy’s littoral combat ships because apparently aren’t good for anything else. 🤣
A late friend of ours was director of children’s programs on the Sos United States during the 1950s
Great job Sal
The infamous pier boondoggle fell apart again as it was being assembled. One foot swells will apparently kill it.
I catch a glimpse of Great Lakes freighters in St. Lawrence Seaway, a bit West of the St. Lambert Locks in Lac St. Louis. I'm in Pointe Claire with its famous "Windmill Point" on West Island of Montreal.
Sal, drinking a bit early eh (clock on the wall). No worries in Germany though where you can get a Big Mac and a beer! Great video.
shit load references a load of organic fertilizer going to a field, luv the pun cheers. made my morning, never moved a small amount of poop on my mums farm: farming LOL
Cheers Sal!
Michi is one of my favorite lakers! Anxious to see if they crop and renew and send her back out.
I watch for the awesome shirts
Safe journey to and fromEuropa Sal!
Lots of content in todays episode. A whole lot. The event that sticks with me is the pending eviction of the SS United States from its berth. I suspect we are witnessing the approaching final disposition of the ship. Will it be towed of to South Asia or will it head to Texas. I don’t think it will be used for a target or reef ship simply because of what she represents and her size. She is a big ship. A really big ship.
If she is dismantled, I would like to see her front section along with her funnels saved and incorporated in some architectural structure. The long sweeping bow of the ship is the signature feature of the ship along with her funnels.
What are the structural issues if any? Is it seaworthy?
Part of the problem with the Queen Mary floating hotel/tourist attraction is that it’s located in Long Beach, California. Long Beach isn’t a tourist destination. (The City of Long Beach purchased the ship in an attempt to change itself into a destination city, but it hasn’t worked.)
The Queen Mary is also expensive to maintain and operate. I’m just guessing but I doubt it’s making any great profits even in a good year. She’s also permanently moored. She’s not going anywhere.
I think for the SS United States to be profitable, it would need to operate as a floating casino. It would need to operate out of a port in a popular destination city, and head out to international waters for gambling.
Sal, congratulations on reaching 300k subscribers.
Way cool! Be safe traveling!!
Sal, Can you please explain why you would choose a "life raft" over a lifeboat on a cruise ship in case of an emergency? If there are both life rafts and lifeboats on a cruise ship, how can we identify where the life rafts are located?
The life rafts inflate when they hit the water. So if you need it you will find it on the water. On the ship they look like 55 gallon oil drums near the rails.
This is why 🍺 you don’t watch Sal until after lunch!
thanks for the update
Notice…
All Of This Is Gonna Change
“In a blink of an eye…”
I respect the Houthi in their efforts to prevent pollution in their region. Maybe other like-minded pirate organizations should take the same steps to prevent global trade and address pollution. We all can "just stop oil" by eliminating it and all the products and services that use it in our lives.
Not trying to be critical here, the ore boats name is generally pronounced in the Great Lakes Region as the Michey-pee-cotton. Not that anyone could tell by the way its spelled. We have an island out in Lake Superior off the Canadian shore with the same name, Michipicoten Island. Thanks for all your informative information, you have a fantastic channel.
Mate your shirts are absolutely next level 🔥
Sea Force Sal
Love your channel thank you
Love you SAL!! YOU ROCK.!!
What a pity about the SS United States. To see such a beautiful ship left to rot. It's just shameful.
The Houthis are making all kinds of friends around the world. Nothing like real world tests of weapons systems. Have to wonder how much the Iranians are learning from the Red Sea drone test area.
Likely, quite a lot. The drone boat thing seems to be a lesson learned from watching Ukraine against Russia in the Black sea. You can be certain that every little country in the world is watching and learning as well.
Looks like the Houthis are having a ball, just like a carnival shooting gallery with no competition. And then there is the rest of the shipping countries doing NOTHING! Apparently: what have we got --- a cuisinart?
If only the USS Liberty would get this much attention