Ship will be off limits

2004-05-17 18:40

Cape Town - Depending on the behaviour of the public, the South African Maritime Authority (Samsa) would consider implementing an "exclusion area" around the holed bulk carrier Cape Africa, when she anchors in False Bay.

"There is no exclusion area, but if there are problems we will consider it," said Samsa spokesperson Dave Colly on Monday.

Colly said the ship did not pose a hazard, suggesting that the same could not be said about some people.

"If everybody behaves themselves... it will be OK," he said.

However, there would be road traffic management in place along the Main Road, one of Cape Town's busiest thoroughfares and which links coastal villages such as Kalk Bay to Cape Town.

Colly said it was unlikely that curious seafarers would get in the way of salvors as they attempted to make permanent repairs to the holed iron ore carrier.

"It's not that type of operation," said Colly of the repairs that need to be undertaken.

Earlier on Monday, salvors announced that with almost 1 900 tons of bunker fuel removed from the holed bulk carrier Cape Africa, they were expecting the vessel to enter the safety of False Bay by Tuesday.

The vessel on Monday morning was still under tow, stern first, by the salvage tug Smit Amandla, about 60km from False Bay, said the joint response committee.

Three kilometres from Simon's Town

Following a further inspection by a Samsa surveyor, the Cape Africa will enter the bay and proceed to what was deemed to be the most suitable anchorage point, about three kilometres south east of Simon's Town.

Once anchored in position, phase two of the salvage operation, the repair process expected to last two to three weeks, will commence.

Several precautionary anti-pollution measures were in place, including the presence of the oil pollution abatement vessel, Kuswag IV, and regular overflights by the patrol aircraft Kuswag VIII.

The Cape Africa is expected to resume her journey to the Far East once repairs are completed.

Her crew abandoned ship after extensive structural damage was reported in hold number three.

- SAPA