Vessel tracking - Suez Canal

[Rich_AR]

I was recently tracking a shipment of mine and all stopped when the ship entered the Suez canal. I know that some ships switch off the AIS tracking for safety reasons (I assume to hide their location from Somalian pirates etc) but does anyone have any idea when they switch the AIS back on?! It's been 8 days since the last known update...

Bit of a random question, I know...

[Pothole]

It may have sunk, or the AIS may have failed...what's the name of the ship?

[Rich_AR]

Pothole said:

It may have sunk, or the AIS may have failed...what's the name of the ship?

Ha, that's what I was thinking...

It's 'MAERSK SEMARANG'

[Le TVR]

http://www.shipping.nato.int/operations/OS/Pages/O...

[Rich_AR]

Le TVR said:

http://www.shipping.nato.int/operations/OS/Pages/O...

They only recommend it to be switched on, but still up to the Master. So I assumed he switched it off... maybe forgot to turn it back on or it's sunk.

[Gazzas86]

I have been up and down the Suez a fair amount of times, you may find the vessel has anchored up in the waiting area, to wait for the convoy to come through.

I have an AIS tracker on my phone, and i do find the ships i track drop in/out. Could be due to the amount of interference from having so many ships/vessels in close proximity.

[Popeyed]

The last position update I can find was on 5th October, she is giving her ETA at Western Pilot Boarding Ground Alpha, off Singapore as 1200 on 13th October 2012.

[Rich_AR]

Popeyed said:

The last position update I can find was on 5th October, she is giving her ETA at Western Pilot Boarding Ground Alpha, off Singapore as 1200 on 13th October 2012.

Yup, it's due in Singapore on the 13th.

Where is WPBGA?

(Sorry I know nothing about shipping!)

[Popeyed]

Rich_AR said:

Popeyed said:

The last position update I can find was on 5th October, she is giving her ETA at Western Pilot Boarding Ground Alpha, off Singapore as 1200 on 13th October 2012.

Yup, it's due in Singapore on the 13th.

Where is WPBGA?

(Sorry I know nothing about shipping!)

It's at the western end of Singapore (obviously), so I assume the vessel is proceeding to Pasir Panjang container terminal. It does not take long to proceed from the pilot boarding station to the berth, a couple of hours max I would guess.

Also, bear in mind that AIS works on VHF, therefore line of sight only, so when out of sight of an AIS shore station the vessel will not show on AIS tracking. The vessel should reappear on AIS when she passes by the northern tip of Sumatera in the next day or so.

[Rich_AR]

Popeyed said:

It's at the western end of Singapore (obviously), so I assume the vessel is proceeding to Pasir Panjang container terminal. It does not take long to proceed from the pilot boarding station to the berth, a couple of hours max I would guess.

Also, bear in mind that AIS works on VHF, therefore line of sight only, so when out of sight of an AIS shore station the vessel will not show on AIS tracking. The vessel should reappear on AIS when she passes by the northern tip of Sumatera in the next day or so.

Thanks for the info, it's finally appeared.