Moto Miwa: First batch of BRZ's and FRS left Japan for Long Beach, CA

[Subaruwrxfan]

Originally Posted by Longhorn248

I have no idea on actual costs, but my initial thoughts make me think it would be cheaper to take the cars over land rather than down through Panama and up to the east coast.

Anyone know what it costs to run a RoRo oceanic vessel?

Yeah I think it'd be easier to put them on a train or truck instead of having the ship circle the whole globe, lol.

[Spaceywilly]

Originally Posted by Longhorn248

I have no idea on actual costs, but my initial thoughts make me think it would be cheaper to take the cars over land rather than down through Panama and up to the east coast.

Anyone know what it costs to run a RoRo oceanic vessel?

Not sure about the rest of the East Coast, but the New England cars come by boat to Quonset Point, RI. I think the boats are too big to go through the canal so they have to go around South America, so I would guess that this one is headed to California.

[Longhorn248]

Originally Posted by Spaceywilly

Not sure about the rest of the East Coast, but the New England cars come by boat to Quonset Point, RI. I think the boats are too big to go through the canal so they have to go around South America, so I would guess that this one is headed to California.

I thought boats were still being spec'd so that they would fit in the canal locks...guess some companies just decided to say eff it and pay for the extra fuel to go around an entire continent.

[Spaceywilly]

Originally Posted by Longhorn248

I thought boats were still being spec'd so that they would fit in the canal locks...guess some companies just decided to say eff it and pay for the extra fuel to go around an entire continent.

It's possible, I was just basing it off the NYK website which looks like it hasn't been updated in a few decades. I think they also made the canal bigger recently. Maybe we can find another boat that made the trip and see how it went, it seems like these sites only keep a few days worth of location info.

[MmmHamSandwich]

I am pretty sure the type of ship we're tracking can get through the canal.

Here is the Augira Leader, which appears to be the same type of ship, sitting in the Miraflores locks.




My real question is does it make sense to send a ship half full of cars to the other side of the continent? I don't know much about ocean shipping but that seems like poor planning. Never know though, maybe it needs to head that direction anyway.

Does Subaru traditionally move cars via rail cross country? I was under the impression they usually arrive via ship on the east coast.

[Sportsguy83]

Originally Posted by MmmHamSandwich

My real question is does it make sense to send a ship half full of cars to the other side of the continent? I don't know much about ocean shipping but that seems like poor planning. Never know though, maybe it needs to head that direction anyway.

Does Subaru traditionally move cars via rail cross country? I was under the impression they usually arrive via ship on the east coast.

Why do you say half full? How would you know that the orders allocated to the east coast do not fill that ship?

[Longhorn248]

Originally Posted by MmmHamSandwich

I am pretty sure the type of ship we're tracking can get through the canal.

Here is the Augira Leader, which appears to be the same type of ship, sitting in the Miraflores locks.




My real question is does it make sense to send a ship half full of cars to the other side of the continent? I don't know much about ocean shipping but that seems like poor planning. Never know though, maybe it needs to head that direction anyway.

Does Subaru traditionally move cars via rail cross country? I was under the impression they usually arrive via ship on the east coast.

That's my thought. The cost of fuel for that size of a container ship in addition to the fees to use the canal have to be pretty high. Maybe the amount of trucks/trains plus their fuel costs are comparable or more expensive? I honestly have no idea.

[Longhorn248]

Originally Posted by sportsguy83

Why do you say half full? How would you know that the orders allocated to the east coast do not fill that ship?

I think he made that statement assuming the boat would make a stop in California to unload a bunch of cars.

[MmmHamSandwich]

Originally Posted by sportsguy83

Why do you say half full? How would you know that the orders allocated to the east coast do not fill that ship?

My post was referencing the ship we've been tracking.

I personally find it more plausible that the east coast cars will arrive on an entirely different ship, but maybe the Altair needs to head there anyway. Guess we'll have to wait until it arrives in CA and then see what the ledger says.

[Sovran]

Originally Posted by MmmHamSandwich

Does Subaru traditionally move cars via rail cross country? I was under the impression they usually arrive via ship on the east coast.

I have no real knowledge, but to me it seems reasonable that they'd ship cars to the east coast. If they have, say, 2000 cars headed for various east coast locations, how many trains would it take to transport them? How long would it take those trains to cross the entire country? How much time and money would be required to transfer the cars from the boat to each train?

They might also have some sort of cargo that they want to pick up from the east coast and take back to Asia. I'm not sure what it might be, but if I were operating the ship I'd take just about anything rather than make an empty trip.

[Dadhawk]

[QUOTE=MmmHamSandwich;191625]I am pretty sure the type of ship we're tracking can get through the canal.

Here is the Augira Leader, which appears to be the same type of ship, sitting in the Miraflores locks.


QUOTE]

I can't speak for Subaru, but I can tell you what J. Hollis told the 1st86ers. He clearly said that east coast ships take up to 4 weeks because they go around South America, not through the canal. Of course, he could have misspoke.

[Longhorn248]

[quote=Dadhawk;191661]

Originally Posted by MmmHamSandwich

I am pretty sure the type of ship we're tracking can get through the canal.

Here is the Augira Leader, which appears to be the same type of ship, sitting in the Miraflores locks.


QUOTE]

I can't speak for Subaru, but I can tell you what J. Hollis told the 1st86ers. He clearly said that east coast ships take up to 4 weeks because they go around South America, not through the canal. Of course, he could have misspoke.

If he said they don't go through the canal then I'd believe him. Not the sort of thing that someone would mix up since common sense would make the average person think all boats go through the canal, that's what it's for right!?

[Draco-REX]

Originally Posted by Sovran

They might also have some sort of cargo that they want to pick up from the east coast and take back to Asia. I'm not sure what it might be, but if I were operating the ship I'd take just about anything rather than make an empty trip.

Bingo. Subaru has a plant in Indiana. When I took a tour there in 2007, they said they were the only plant that built Tribecas. So the logistics for cars leaving the US for Places Elsewhere is in place. So it's possible that some of the Outbacks, Legacies, and Tribecas (are they still making them?) built there will be going into the hold of whatever ship brings us our BRZs.

[feedbag]

Not to mention that NYK doesn't exclusively serve Toyota / Subaru, they could be picking up basically anything from anywhere.