Tag: flotsam

Bad wintry weather disrupts salvage work of grounded general cargo vessel off South Africa’s west coast: SAMSA

An aerial photograph of the grounded Panama-registered general cargo vessel, the MV Ultra Galaxy taken early on Saturday and indicative of the prevailing extremely wintry weather conditions on South Africa’s west coast. (Photo: SAMSA)

Pretoria: 27 July 2024

A spate of stormy wintry weather has again disrupted salvage work on a grounded general cargo vessel beached off a remote coastal area on South Africa’s west coast, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) confirmed on Saturday afternoon.

According to SAMSA in a statement on Saturday afternoon, the prevailing adverse weather conditions now battering the region – and anticipated to last until Tuesday of the coming week – have had the effect of delaying the placement of a specialised monitoring system for the gounded Panama-registered MV Ultra Galaxy vessel’s movement, stresses, and bending moments, due to poor flying conditions.

“Once installed, this system will help determine and monitor the structural integrity of the wreck and guide the safest method to bring the ship upright and remove it from the beach,” said SAMSA, however, pointing out that much progress to relieve the vessel of its fuels had begun successfully.

“Earlier this week,” said SAMSA: “salvage teams conducted dive inspections to recheck the structural integrity of the ship and its fuel tanks, both of which remain intact. The salvors also managed to enter the engine room, bridge, and accommodation using specialized climbing equipment.

“Additionally, a bathymetric survey (water depth survey) was completed in the waters surrounding the wreck. Salvors  also managed to remove several lube oil drums and about eight (8) tons of marine gas oil from the fuel tanks of the wreck,” said SAMSA.

To speed things up, SAMSA further reported that a Platform Supply Vessel (PSV) is scheduled to report in Cape Town on 29 July to uplift and load specialized fuel removal heating and salvage equipment.

“The PSV will then depart for the wreck (and) once stationed off the wreck, the PSV will use its dynamic positioning system and two anchors to position itself as close to the wreck as possible. The PSV will serve as a stable working platform, and the remaining fuel will be pumped from the wreck to the PSV via pipelines.” said SAMSA.

A second aerial photo of the grounded MV Ultra Galaxy vessel being severely battered by several meter high waves early on Saturday in a remote area of the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of South Africa. (Photo: SAMSA)

In the meantime, according to SAMSA: “Salvors are closely monitoring the grounded MV Ultra Galaxy, as disruptive weather continues to batter the Western and Northern Cape coastline this weekend. An Orange level 6 warning for damaging winds and waves was issued earlier in the week, with conditions expected to last until Monday. Active salvage work will resume once the weather subsides.

Regarding debris and related matters, SAMSA sustained its call on members of the public on the West Coast, from Brand se Baai to St Helena Bay, “….to look out for any debris that may wash up on the beach, such as cargo bags, steel hatch covers, and other flotsam. Any findings should be reported to SAMSA through the Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) at 021 938 3300 or 012 938 3303.

“The public is also advised not to attempt to salvage any debris themselves. It is important to properly dispose of any debris to minimize harm to people and the environment.

“The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) remains on standby, ready to respond should an oil spill occur and seabirds become affected.

Further details would be shared as they become available, said SAMSA.

End

Gaps of calmer weather a welcome respite for salvage of grounded vessel on South Africa’s west coast: SAMSA

Pretoria: 16 July 2024

SALVAGE WORK ON COURSE: The grounded Panama-flagged general cargo vessel, the Ultra Galaxy, on its side, showing the breach of its cargo holds due to battering by huge wages driven by a cold front that swept the Western Cape province of South Africa in the past week. (Photo: SAMSA)

Pockets of calmer weather off South Africa’s west coast have injected much needed impetus to salvage work of the grounded Panama-flagged general cargo ship, the MV Ultra Galaxy, now lying on its side, beached, on a remote location of the Atlantic Ocean, northwest of Cape Town; the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) reported on Tuesday.

According to SAMSA, top priority is the extraction and relocation of the vessel’s fuel and oils on board to prevent possible environmental polution at sea and the adjacent land area.

In a statement issued Tuesday following a meeting of the incident management team, SAMSA further confirmed that during the recent extreme weather experienced throughout the whole of last week and during which the vessel ran aground, the ship’s hatch covers were eventually dislodged and detached, leaving the cargo holds vulnerable. Consequently, a significant portion of the ship’s fertilizer cargo was swept away by the sea.

With welcome calmer weather, a helicopter could be used since the weekend to conduct inspection of the vessel (Photo: SAMSA)

In the wake of this development, two distinct warnings have since been issued to – on the one hand – vessels traversing the ocean in the area, and on the other hand, the general public, for all to be on the lookout for debris and other flotsam that may either be still at sea, or washed ashore by currents and winds.

SAMSA said: “Salvage work on the grounded Panama-flagged cargo ship, MV Ultra Galaxy, continued over the weekend. The vessel ran aground on the evening of Tuesday, the 9th of July 2024, off the coast of Duiwegat, just south of Brand se Baai on the West Coast.

“The ship was abandoned by her crew of 18 Filipino seafarers after developing an excessive list. The crew is now safely back in the Philippines.

“In light of the recent extreme weather, the ship’s hatch covers were dislodged and detached from the vessel, leaving the cargo holds vulnerable. Consequently, a significant portion of the ship’s fertilizer cargo was swept away by the sea.

“While some hatch covers have been retrieved, a navigation alert has been issued for ships in the vicinity. Current efforts are focused on removing the fertilizer bags that are washing up on the shoreline. It is expected that most of the fertilizer in the individual cargo bags would have dissolved and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) is implementing an environmental monitoring program.

“The search for flotsam and other debris from the ship will be expanding over the next few days, as the salvage crew tries to utilize the good weather between cold fronts.”

Photos of cargo hold steel hatch covers found strewn across a beach near where the Ultra Galaxy went aground on the west of South Africa last Tuesday evening, with salvage personnel on site to collect away both these, debris and other flotsom being found in the area. (Photos: SAMSA)

According to SAMSA, with the drift pattern expected to be in a southerly direction, members of the public on the West Coast south of Brand se Baai to St Helena Bay were being requested to look out for any debris that may wash up on the beach.

This includes items such as cargo bags, steel hatch covers, and other flotsam, and which should all be reported to SAMSA through the Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) at 021 938 3300 or 012 938 3303.

SAMSA made a special appeal to the public to not collect or attempt to remove any items found by themselves but to rather alert officials through the contact details provided.

Said SAMSA: “Members of the public are also requested not to attempt to salvage any debris themselves. It is important to properly dispose of any debris safely in order to minimize harm to people and the environment.

Meanwhile, according to SAMSA, salvage teams and divers had started with sealing the fuel tanks to prevent any oil from spilling into the ocean. “They are also investigating the structural integrity of the vessel to plan a way forward to secure and safely remove the oil and wreck from the area.

“At this stage of the operation, the vessel poses no new environmental threats, however all efforts are being made to monitor the situation and put preventative measures in place. The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) remains on standby, ready to respond should an oil spill occur, and seabirds become affected,” said SAMSA.

The Panama-registered MV Ultra Galaxy (previously known as Thor Galaxy and Thorco Galaxy) is a 124.56-meter-long general cargo vessel built in 2008. At the time of its distress call early on Monday a week ago, she was on her way to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.

Further public updates would be shared as they become available, said SAMSA.

End