Sun shines for cargo removal

2003-09-02 12:59

Cape town - Salvors say better weather over the next three or four days will give them a good "window" to continue removing hazardous cargo from the stranded Sealand Express.

A heavy-duty Mi8 helicopter began flying loads off the vessel again on Tuesday morning after bad weather forced suspension of the operation on Monday.

The Sealand Express grounded off Sunset Beach in Table Bay two weeks ago, and though salvage tugs managed at the weekend to turn her 25 degrees seaward, she has resisted attempts to refloat her.

The joint operations committee overseeing the salvage bid said that during Monday night the tug connected to the vessel to stop her drifting further onto the beach had shifted her bow an additional two degrees seaward.

In the light of the improvement in the weather on Tuesday, the tug had disconnected to allow the dredger on the scene to work the area more effectively, which it could not do properly while the tow wire is in place.

Stress monitors on the Sealand Express' hull indicated her overall condition was still sound.

"Stresses being experienced by the ship are above normal but within the acceptable range, given the grounding forces that the fully-laden container ship is experiencing," the committee said in a statement.

"The overall bending stresses in the hull have increased with the new grounding forces, following refloating attempts at the weekend, and the salvage team continue to monitor her condition."

The next refloating bid is scheduled for September 11.

- SAPA