I know the sixth boro sees lots of RO-RO traffic, these

almost hermetically sealed vessels like CSAV Rio Aysen that allow vehicles to roll on or roll off a port.    This is the time of year when new year models of automobiles are heavily advertised.  It’s also a time post-Sandy when folks are looking to replace cars crushed by falling trees.

Since Sandy I’ve seen lots of RO-ROs, like

Aida, shown here passing Potomac and

here in the distance heading out the Ambrose Channel,  out beyond NYK Romulus (see fotos of her from the Bayonne Bridge) and the Narrows.

Here’s Western Highway inbound a week ago, and

Grande Guinee–hull down–headed for West Africa the same day.  She’s approaching Cape Verde right now.  In the foreground . . . it looks like Emerald Coast, tending barge alongside an NYK container ship.

And then it occurred to me:  sixth boro ports have large areas only a few feet above sea level where new cars just offloaded await shipment inland.  Were there any in port when Sandy came ashore?    Uh, only about half a billion dollars worth!  These cars, never used, now head straight for the scrap yard.   I’d have volunteered to help drive some of these cars to higher ground away from the port.

All fotos by Will Van Dorp.

Thanks to Michele, here’s a story about burning Priuses and Fiskers at Port Newark.

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