Author Topic: Ballast onboard the ship  (Read 1581 times)

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Offline Bob van Leeuwen

Ballast onboard the ship
« on: Jun 07, 2017, 06:01 PM »
As promised in this post: https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,7479.msg85594.html#msg85594 I contacted the ss Rotterdam, and was actually really surprised with the detailed response I got :)


To basically translated the complete response, as some might know the ship is connected to shore with five gangways. What almost everybody knows is that the ship is connected on the water side to a pair of pillars that actually have hinges (if not done, this would create big problems of course).
The ships does move up and down with the tide with a difference of around 1.8 meters, ore around 6 feet. This is without fluctuations in the high and low tide that does happen from time to time.


Concerning the ballast, in the forward part of the ship there are big bags of gravel stores, big bags are here in The Netherlands around 1000kg, don't know the exact that are stored, but this does add up when storing 10 of those things. Although not specified in the response, so this is pure speculation from me, but I believe the ship has a forward cargo hold, so this would be the most logical option.


At the rear of the ship in the former sea water tanks are currently filled with water from the river Maas, and are actually almost full.
Although I did did expect that this was still the case, much like the Queen Mary, was came as a surprise to me is that they actually move the contents around. For example if they notice see is sitting on a angle after for example a storm (currently one is going on at the moment), ore something was changed with a room configuration.
I did not expect that to happen, but it really makes sense to me, since she is very much a ship that is alive still, even in retirement.


Given the very lengthy response that I have got this time around, does any of you have any question that you still need a answer from regarding the ss Rotterdam? If there is any intrest I can mail them if they are interested in responding to them all.

Online June Ingram

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Re: Ballast onboard the ship
« Reply #1 on: Jun 07, 2017, 06:06 PM »
Hi Bob -

Thank you very much for your response regarding Rotterdam.  And it is great to hear that she is being treated as the ship she is in regard to her certain needs.  That is very reassuring. 

June   :)
QE2 - the ship for all of time, a ship of timeless beauty !

Offline Oceanic

Re: Ballast onboard the ship
« Reply #2 on: Jun 08, 2017, 06:59 PM »
They seem to have thought out the ballast rather well, they could have done something REALLY idiotic, like fill the double bottom with mud! Luckily no-one is dim witted enough to do such a thing! Oh wait...

http://www.scotsman.com/heritage/people-places/queen-mary-mayday-for-a-scottish-monument-1-4383166
"Some Profound Text Goes Here"

Offline Twynkle

Re: Ballast onboard the ship
« Reply #3 on: Jun 09, 2017, 12:26 PM »
Thank you for this and the trouble you've taken, Bob.

As a matter of interest - do you know how long Rotterdam's engines were in cold lay-up for before she became "alive" again?
Also, is the water being pumped through the tanks with power from shore-side?
Perhaps in a more ecologically minded world - she might have chosen to have her own water-powered mill!

Offline Bob van Leeuwen

Re: Ballast onboard the ship
« Reply #4 on: Jun 09, 2017, 12:37 PM »
I don't believe the engines where ever restarted after she was laid up in Freeport. She was to have sailed under here own power from Freeport to Gibraltar where the refurbishment was started. How ever this plan fel through. [size=78%]Regarding the way the water is pumped, I don't really know. [/size]
[/size]
[/size][size=78%]I will send a reply to the email I recieved asking how the water is pumped, and if here engines where restarted, and what the exact reason was why she was towed.[/size]