One crane that can reach over 200 feet needs to remove how many of 18,300 containers some weighing as much as 25 to 40 tons. That will take how long ? Then the heavier more important containers would be lower on the deck or in cargo holds as low as possible. The other plan of dredging 350,000 cubic meters of sand at 2,000 cubic meters an hour will take 15 days at least. In the meantime 90,000 gallons of ballast water (360 tons) has been pumped out in an attempt to lighten, and float her. That failed. She is now top heavy, and unbalance only stable because she is grounded. As they remove the sand from her bow, and stern her midsection remains stressed. She could break in two, and or as they remove sand capsize from lack of ballast. It's a catch 22 because if they replace ballast she will settle even more ! If either happens (Breaks or Capsizes) the canal will be blocked for a year, or more while the wreak is dismantled. It doesn't look good.
One crane that can reach over 200 feet needs to remove how many of 18,300 containers some weighing as much as 25 to 40 tons. That will take how long ? Then the heavier more important containers would be lower on the deck or in cargo holds as low as possible. The other plan of dredging 350,000 cubic meters of sand at 2,000 cubic meters an hour will take 15 days at least. In the meantime 90,000 gallons of ballast water (360 tons) has been pumped out in an attempt to lighten, and float her. That failed. She is now top heavy, and unbalance only stable because she is grounded. As they remove the sand from her bow, and stern her midsection remains stressed. She could break in two, and or as they remove sand capsize from lack of ballast. It's a catch 22 because if they replace ballast she will settle even more ! If either happens (Breaks or Capsizes) the canal will be blocked for a year, or more while the wreak is dismantled. It doesn't look good.