First phase of operation to salvage aground ship of Bangladesh begins

The exercise is likely to be completed in four to five days

October 21, 2020 01:21 am | Updated 09:47 am IST - VISAKHAPATNAM

Work in progress to tow out the Bangladeshi ship, in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday.

Work in progress to tow out the Bangladeshi ship, in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday.

Operation to salvage the 3000-tonne Bangladeshi ship MV Maa that ran aground near Tenneti Park in Visakhapatnam on October 13, took a baby step here on Tuesday with the salvor company, engaged by the owners, commencing the pumping of fuel oil from the ship.

The ship is carrying around 40 tonnes of fuel oil, and high power pumps have been deployed to pump out the oil.

“The ship has no power on its own and that is why we have deployed generators not only to supply power to the ship, but also commence the pumping operation,” said Surender Gill of Gill Marines, who have been assigned the first phase of the salvage operation.

“Pipelines have been laid from the ship to the road point and the oil will be pumped into mobile tankers. On the first day, we ran a trial run and was successfully able to pump out about 2,000 litres of fuel,” said Mr. Gill.

It is estimated that about 200 to 300 litres will be pumped out per hour and the company expects to complete the job in four to five days, working in all the three shifts.

The distance of the temporary pipeline from the ship to the road point is around 500 metres, but since the gradient is steep, the company is contemplating moving the mobile tankers to the Jodugudlapalem temple side on Wednesday.

“This may increase the length of the pipeline from 500 to 700 metres, but the gradient is flat and thus it will not put much pressure on the pumps and we can draw more in an hour,” he said.

Second phase

Once the fuel is drained out, the ship will become lighter by 40 tonnes and also the danger of oil spill while pulling it out using high-power tugs will cease to exist. After this operation is completed, the second phase of towing it out during high tide will begin.

The salvage of the ship has gained importance, after environment activists, raised a hue and cry and urged the authorities concerned to take up the operation on a war-footing.

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