The "Hungry Hippo" Crosses the Pacific
Tracking data indicates the ship carrying Neutron's fairing is beating schedule estimates. @Muzznzer predicts a Jan 7 arrival at the Panama Canal, three days ahead of official reports.
New tracking data provided by @Muzznzer suggests that the Rijnvliet—the vessel transporting Rocket Lab’s Neutron "Hungry Hippo" fairing halves—is making better time than anticipated across the Pacific.
While the official port logs still report an Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) at the Panama Canal for January 10, real-time telemetry tells a different story.
The Data
According to the latest satellite AIS fix analyzed by Muzznzer:
- Distance Remaining: ~1,028 nm
- Current Speed: 10.0 knots
- Course: 54.4°
Based on this sustained velocity and current vector, the Predicted ETA is now January 7, roughly 04:53 Local Time.
Why This Matters
In the logistics of launch vehicle assembly, a three-day gain is significant. If the Rijnvliet maintains this pace and clears the canal queue efficiently, the fairing hardware could arrive at the Wallops Island Integration Control Facility (ICF) earlier than the mid-January baseline. This buffer allows the integration teams more time for fit checks and mating operations with the Neutron tank structures already on site.
Community Intel
This discrepancy highlights the value of independent satellite tracking. While official marine traffic sites often default to the captain's initial filing, active monitoring of speed and course adjustments provides a more granular look at the supply chain.
For the most accurate timeline on Neutron's path to the pad, I recommend following @Muzznzer for daily course plots and arrival updates and of course you can track Rijnvliet yourself on VesselFinder.
