Hoegh Osaka pictured Tuesday, January 20, 2015. Photo courtesy MCA
Tuesday Update: The list of the vessel has decreased
to 37 degrees as of Monday night as salvors continue to pump more clean
water from the lower car decks. The list was originally 52 degrees and
is expected to decrease to 15 degrees over the coming days prior to the
ship being moved from the Alpha Anchorage to Southampton, the UK
Maritime and Coastguard Agency reports.
The MCA reports that weather continues to remain favorable, however
the long-range forecast is indicating that it is unlikely that the ship
will be moved on Wednesday.
Hoegh Osaka pictured Monday, January 19, 2015. Photo courtesy UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA)
Monday: If all goes according to plan the Hoegh
Osaka car carrier could be moved to the port of Southampton as early as
Wednesday, nearly three weeks after the ship was intentionally beached
on the Bramble Bank in the Solent.
Over the weekend, the ship remained stable at the Alpha Anchorage as a
much needed break in the weather allowed salvors to pump water from the
vessel and continue ballasting operations, reducing the list to 47
degrees. Divers meanwhile were in the water carrying out inspections of
the ship’s hull, determining that there is no significant damage.
On Sunday, the Secretary of State’s Representative for Intervention
and Salvage (SOSREP) was at the site to witness the ongoing salvage
operations, which are said to be “progressing well” according to the UK
Maritime and Coast Guard Agency (MCA).
Pumping operations. Photo courtesy MCA
According to Monday’s update from the MCA, de-watering operations
finished at 11:30 Monday and preparations were underway to begin pumping
water remaining in the car decks into the empty fuel tanks of the ship.
As was reported previously, an estimated 3,000 tons of water entered
the vessel through a crack in hull and an oily film, reported to be
hydraulic fluid from the cars, had developed on the surface. The plan
was to pump the clean water from the bottom in order to avoid the
contaminated water. The update on Monday added that the list was
expected to improve slowly “over the coming hours”.
Weather conditions are expected to remain favorable over the coming
days, and salvors plan to move the Hoegh Osaka to the port of
Southampton later this week, possibly as soon as late Wednesday or early
Thursday.
The Hoegh Osaka, carrying some 1,400 cars, was intentionally grounded
on the Bramble Bank in the Solent on Saturday, January 3 after the ship
developed a severe list shortly after departure from Southampton. The
ship self-refloated in high water and strong winds on January 7 and has
since been held in position by tugs at the nearby Alpha Anchorage.
Strong winds have played a critical role throughout the entire salvage
project, however the ship has remained stable and no pollution has been
reported.
The ongoing salvage is being managed by Svitzer.
