by Odysseus » February 29, 2016, 9:52 pm
I find the concept and discussion of a conveyer system to unload Superior vessels to lower lakes vessels intriguing.
But I wonder how efficient this could be in the real world. We are talking about the idea of a laker that, given no opposing traffic, would take about 1.5-2 hours to lock through the Poe once making the piers, give or take. But an unloading system would require securing to a pier, extending a boom into a dedicated hopper location, and the regular time to unload all of that cargo only to be loaded to the proper load level requirements for the receiving vessel that would be heading down bound.
First, there is the time it would take to transfer the load. That's a lot longer than just locking through.
Second, there is the assumption there is going to be a willing and waiting vessel to receive the load.
Third, there are vessels that are designed for specific a cargo. Which goes back to the aforementioned number two, how do you know there is going to be a willing vessel there?
Fourth, if there are no willing and waiting vessels to receive Superior laden cargo, where do you store the materials in the Soo? The Carbide dock is only so big.
How is this system supposed to be more efficient than locking through with just one Poe sized lock, let alone a twinned lock? Moreover, how would the Lake Carriers Association sign off on such an idea? How would the Canadians carriers like this? Who would keep track of which pile belongs to which boat for which destination?
Seems like a bigger issue than just locking through in one Poe sized lock, let alone two.
I find the concept and discussion of a conveyer system to unload Superior vessels to lower lakes vessels intriguing.
But I wonder how efficient this could be in the real world. We are talking about the idea of a laker that, given no opposing traffic, would take about 1.5-2 hours to lock through the Poe once making the piers, give or take. But an unloading system would require securing to a pier, extending a boom into a dedicated hopper location, and the regular time to unload all of that cargo only to be loaded to the proper load level requirements for the receiving vessel that would be heading down bound.
First, there is the time it would take to transfer the load. That's a lot longer than just locking through.
Second, there is the assumption there is going to be a willing and waiting vessel to receive the load.
Third, there are vessels that are designed for specific a cargo. Which goes back to the aforementioned number two, how do you know there is going to be a willing vessel there?
Fourth, if there are no willing and waiting vessels to receive Superior laden cargo, where do you store the materials in the Soo? The Carbide dock is only so big.
How is this system supposed to be more efficient than locking through with just one Poe sized lock, let alone a twinned lock? Moreover, how would the Lake Carriers Association sign off on such an idea? How would the Canadians carriers like this? Who would keep track of which pile belongs to which boat for which destination?
Seems like a bigger issue than just locking through in one Poe sized lock, let alone two.