To get rid of thick ice, sailors use fire hydrants, reagents and even crowbars.
The cars were subject to extreme weather conditions while transiting and arrived in Russia’s largest port on Pacific Ocean. They were encased in thick ice. Russian publication writes, quoting the captain’s vessel: “It is December, it’s rough and windy. The water splashes onto the board, creating a crust. It’s not a big deal. It’s just that the winds this year are stronger than usual. It’s not a problem for sailors. It has happened before. We used to unload and it was okay.
The ship was built in Japan in 1991. It is called “Sun Rio” in irony. It carries Panama’s country flag. Panama has a temperature range of 75 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit (24-32 degrees Celsius) during the year. The vehicle carrier has been in service for over three decades. It is currently registered in South America, a transcontinental country in Central America. It currently travels on the Vladivostok-Toyama-Busan route.
VL refers to the cars being transported. It mentions that the ship had only Japanese models on deck, such as the Honda Fit/Jazz and Toyota Tank/Roomy. It is quite common for vehicles arrive in this condition during winter. When that happens, sailors break the frozen ice and unload them from the ship. The crew apparently uses everything, from fire hydrants and reagents to the old crowbar. Yes, the cars can be damaged.