In June 2018, a large shipping vessel (ironically named the YM Efficiency) accidentally spilled 81 shipping containers into the ocean as it was en route to Australia. Last week, the Australian government managed to recover some of the containers, which they found sitting on the ocean floor about 15 miles from the New South Wales shore.
The goods in these containers included office chairs, bicycles, tires, household goods and, most notably, two Chevrolet Silverado HD pickup trucks. Not surprisingly, the trucks were in a poor state of repair when they were pulled from the shipping containers. They had been badly damaged from rather significant fall from the large shipping freighter and were saturated with salty ocean water after spending nearly two years on the sea floor.
“Obviously having a free fall for 120-odd meters in the water and then landing on the bottom hasn’t left them in the best shape,” said Scott Wilson, project manager for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. “All the windows were down in them as well, so they were all full of water and are just rotting.”
The previous-generation Chevrolet Silverado HDs were likely on their way to Holden Special Vehicles, which converts the trucks to right-hand-drive and sells them locally in Australia. The trucks are worth about $150,000 AUD each, equivalent to just over $95,000 in U.S. dollars.
HSV Silverado HDs feature the 6.6L L5P Duramax diesel engine and Allison 1000 six-speed automatic transmission. Australian customers can order the trucks in either WT (Work Truck) or range-topping LTZ trim. HSV has recently turned its attention to the current-generation Chevrolet Silverado 1500 light-duty trucks and began importing the vehicles into the country in March. Prices for the HSV Silverado 1500 start at roughly $110,000 AUD, which is equivalent to just over $70,000 USD.
AMSA’s container recovery efforts are expected to last until the end of April. It will pull a total of 62 containers out of the ocean before the end of the month. Where the remaining 18 containers have drifted off to is anybody’s guess.
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Comments
Little body work, some electrical, she be good as new. …..
That should just buff out.
I think about this kinda thing sometimes. Ever wonder how much falls off ships on the way? Like there’s bound to be containers full of phones at the bottom of the ocean.
I’ve seen a lot of videos on YouTube of cargo ships piled way too high with loaded containers, lose dozens of them during storms on trans-oceanic voyages. What’s even sadder is video of a Dutch car-hauling freighter that capsized with 500 to 700 new cars aboard, all a total loss. Another video I’ve seen, shows a ship that did not capsize, but began to list, during a storm, and several hundred Land Rovers and Jaguars sustained major body damage as unsecured cars shifted and crashed into others, during the listing.
They’re actually not piled too high. There’s a calculation on where items go. Even a list to port or starboard isn’t an overload. I’ve seen cargo ships sink because the of poor maintenance or hatches left open during storms. Ships do lose cargo but when you see the number of ships that travel it’s not that big of a number. Just saw a ship arrive in Baltimore with a bunch of those huge dock cranes. Arrived from China. You want to talk about top heavy. It’s all about proper loading, a responsible captain, resposible crew and no engine failure
Not as much as you think to be honest when you include the number of freighters sail every year.
said Scott Wilson, project manager for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority. “All the windows were down in them as well, so they were all full of water and are just rotting.”
Could he really think they’d be dry inside, if the windows were up?
Too bad…they still look way better than the ugly, Chinese-glassed new ones.
Less rust than a 2 year old Tesla under normal conditions.
Oh.oh, better get MAACO!
Still better than a new dodge !
They still look way better than a brand new dodge and Ford pickups
100k+ for a truck? I am a GMC truck guy and I finally went an looked at new ones the other day and just about died..the trucks are getting too girly and tooooooo many bells an whistles for a guy who likes a 4wd with rubber floors vinyl seats and power windows with a 350 or a 5.3.. I finally found a truck I could use, but nowhere worth 50k for a truck that cost 25k 5 years ago.. RIDICULOUS!!