ShipSpotting.com Forum
Shipspotters all over the world => Shipping News and information => Topic started by: Robert McDonald on December 15, 2011, 06:11:52 PM
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The mysterious track of the C Whale, loitering around in the Las Calmas Sea has stirred up much consternation amongst Canary Islanders. See http://earthquake-report.com/2011/09/25/el-hierro-canary-islands-spain-volcanic-risk-alert-increased-to-yellow/ (http://earthquake-report.com/2011/09/25/el-hierro-canary-islands-spain-volcanic-risk-alert-increased-to-yellow/).
The "C Whale" arrived in the area on November 27th!
This event has resulted in more than 100 visits in the first few hours to my article on the "C Whale" in my blog. [see blog index]
When I first inquired on this forum about it, I was summarily poo-poohed as "waiting for pilot" to "this tracking information should not be available to mere mortals."
Here is her track today. So what plausible explanation for a ship to be wandering in circles for 19 days!
Robert in Port Townsend
www.oil-electric.com (http://www.oil-electric.com)
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I guess she's waiting for orders. If she has no cargo to load, then better to wait at sea to avoid port fees etc.
Seems she left Spain in late November after unloading Brazilian iron ore: http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=1445887
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I would suggest that, if the authorties suspect something illegal they could go anytime out and check the vessel, that is also possible with no problems in international waters nowadays..
When I see the track and the time, waiting for orders could be. But waiting then that close
is rather unusual. Only one thing I can clearly see as Master,,it would be outright stupid to stay 19 days in the same area with no orders from the company/owners/operators etc, and doing at the same time something illegal, would border on the insane. And with orders even worst !!!
But that,s what I say now and before, because of the open AIS systems,, peoples see something, make suggestion, assume possibilities, opening blogs and nobody knows what is really going on, the perfect recipe for more rumors
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I have no idea what that blog is going on about in terms of the C WHALE, it makes little sense to me. Anyone who assumes something sinister or illegal is going on has been watching too many James Bond movies ::)
I agree that the most likely scenario is awaiting orders. The tanker market is very poor at the moment and has been for several months. It's certainly not unusual in such circumstances for ships to hang around in the same area doing nothing for weeks, sometimes months on end. The area around the Canary islands is geographically important in this respect as it's on the junction of major seaways and means that vessels can go East or West easily should orders come in.
Brgds
Phil
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Perhaps indeed waiting orders. Noting her previous voyage, could be caught up in the Vale loading delays at S