Everyone's safe, but I hope none of you were getting a car shipped to Baltimore

"facw" (facw) 09/09/2019 at 19:06 • Filed to: boatlopnik, RO-RO, That's not gone well

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The Hyundai-owned RO-RO transporter Golden Ray fell over and caught fire (for reasons that I haven’t seen reported anywhere) leaving Brunswick, GA en route to Baltimore on Sunday morning. 20 of the 24-man South Korean crew was rescued quickly, but the fire made it impossible to search for the remaining crew. Luckily, the survivors were able to make enough noise overnight to be located, and today the Coast Guard rescue team was able to cut through the hull to reach the engineering section they were trapped in and rescue the remaining four. Apparently it was extremely hot in there, but the crew is doing well.

No word on the cars, but I imagine they are all writeoffs at this point (I haven’t seen any specifics, but it sounds like the primary cargo was new cars from South Korea).

In any event, good work by the rescue teams. The Coast Guard is now looking at containing  the environmental fallout from the wreck.

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VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely > facw 09/09/2019 at 19:23

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Also to consider is the occasional too-good-to-be-true lowball sale from unscrupulous sellers, if they manage to get a hold of a few of those written off cars.   

gin-san - shitpost specialist > facw 09/09/2019 at 19:29

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So, if I understand, the remaining four were all rescued? I can’t read the article since I’m not going to disable my adblocker.

gin-san - shitpost specialist > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely 09/09/2019 at 19:30

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2020 Elantra, low miles, some water damage, priced to go, good credit bad credit any credit

Aremmes > facw 09/09/2019 at 19:31

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A happier ending than the MV Cougar Ace. As for the cars, most likely the insurance company will require the cars be scrapped, they’ll likely never land on US soil.

facw > gin-san - shitpost specialist 09/09/2019 at 19:32

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Yep they got three guys out earlier today, and have now extracted the last man, who was apparently trapped in a glassed in control room of some sort.

Thomas Donohue > facw 09/09/2019 at 19:34

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Glad they got the last dude....hadn’t heard that update yet.

gin-san - shitpost specialist > facw 09/09/2019 at 19:38

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Thanks, that’s good to hear.

someassemblyrequired > facw 09/09/2019 at 19:38

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Glad to hear this, when Ro-Ros go, they go quick.   At least it was shallow water.

My X-type is too a real Jaguar > facw 09/09/2019 at 19:47

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Better ending than this but I bet the cars have the same fate

https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a15388858/cougar-ace-the-great-103-million-snafu-at-sea/

Chariotoflove > facw 09/09/2019 at 20:07

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#ranwhenparkjedmeme

What would make a ship like that just keel over?

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > facw 09/09/2019 at 20:08

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How in the heck did that think tip over?

MM54 > facw 09/09/2019 at 20:14

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“tipped over and caught on fire”

This does not seem like a normal thing to happen to a boat

facw > MM54 09/09/2019 at 20:22

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That’s not very typical, I’d like to make that point.

facw > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 09/09/2019 at 20:24

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No idea, the articles I’ve seen have been sparse on details. Some possible options (I have no idea how plausible any of these are):

Insufficient ballast

Improperly secured cargo

Top-heavy after unloading some cargo in Brunswick

Flooding from fighting the fire (if the fire started first)

Hit something underwater allowing flooding (doesn’t look like it’s in very deep water). Maybe it wouldn’t even need to flood if it hit something solid enough to knock it off balance.

facw > Chariotoflove 09/09/2019 at 20:25

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A few ideas I had: https://oppositelock.kinja.com/1837996950

ranwhenparked > Chariotoflove 09/09/2019 at 20:36

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These car carriers are basically just big open spaces inside, doesn’t take that much water sloshing around , or that big of a cargo - shifting list, to upset the balance.

Tripper > facw 09/09/2019 at 20:36

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After my car arrived I realized that they shipping company checked that I declined the insurance!!! I definitely wanted the insurance, but it was on me to see and pay for it. Luckily it arrived haha.

Jayvincent > facw 09/09/2019 at 20:41

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I guess they forgot to ro-ro their boat GENTLY down the stream...

I’ll see myself out —->

facw > facw 09/09/2019 at 20:55

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Only tangentially related but the scope of the automotive port at Brunswick is staggering:

In Baltimore the lots are pretty extensive as well, but they are spread across both sides of the harbor and interspersed with other cargo types, so it doesn’t look nearly as impressive as the giant single-use facility in GA:

ranwhenparked > facw 09/09/2019 at 20:58

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Hyundai Glovis is more of a side business for the Chung family, held apart from t he car company, but dependent on it for most of its business . Hyundai Motor owns less than 5%, but the Chungs have over 30%

facw > ranwhenparked 09/09/2019 at 21:01

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Hmm, I was just going off what Wikipedia told me:

Hyundai Glovis Co., Ltd. is a logistics company headquartered in Seoul , South Korea and part of the Hyundai Kia Automotive Group 

Chariotoflove > ranwhenparked 09/09/2019 at 21:04

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Then t hat’s either poor design of the ship, poor balance of the cargo, or both.

Chariotoflove > facw 09/09/2019 at 21:05

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All plausible, and preventable.

ranwhenparked > facw 09/09/2019 at 21:06

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Well, its affiliated. Hyundai Motor has under 5%, their charitable foundation has another 4 and change, but their CEO and his son have over 30 combined. 

ttyymmnn > facw 09/09/2019 at 21:07

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There were lots like that (but not quite as big) in Portsmouth (VA) when I was younger. I used to drive by and think, “Surely, they wouldn’t miss just one ...”

wafflesnfalafel > facw 09/09/2019 at 21:09

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those auto carriers seem so top heavy.....

DipodomysDeserti > MM54 09/09/2019 at 21:09

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At least the front didn’t fall off.

DipodomysDeserti > facw 09/09/2019 at 21:11

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These guys will be selling the salvaged cars.

smobgirl > Jayvincent 09/09/2019 at 21:39

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This deserves more credit.