Cape Africa moves to False Bay
2004-05-14 13:18
Cape Town - The holed bulk carrier Cape Africa will be towed into the environmentally sensitive False Bay for repairs, the joint operations committee announced at a briefing on Friday.
The decision was reached after the Department of Environmental Affairs (Deat) and the South African Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa) discussed various options, comparing the physical, biological and environmental aspects of Saldanha Bay and False Bay.
"At the end of the day... if it must come in then the best option from our side is False Bay," said Deat's integrated coastal management deputy director, Dr Niel Malan.
Malan said among the environmental precautions to be undertaken was that Cape Africa's fuel tanks be sealed off so that if she sank the oil would not bubble to the surface.
Proactive measures will also be taken to safeguard sea birds, such as the penguins at Boulders Beach.
Malan said they were not overly concerned about the iron ore cargo onboard the vessel because it was "inert" but were only concerned about the remaining heavy bunker fuel on board.
"With every hour the risk is diminishing," he said, adding that the most critical period was when the casualty came into the safety of the bay.
The Russian tug Nikolay Chiker on Friday morning started pumping out the remaining 900 tons of oil, and by 10:00 had pumped 400 tons into her hold.
The Cape Africa was carrying approximately 1 800 tons of bunker fuel, of which slightly more than 900 tons were pumped off by Thursday, as part of the first phase of the salvage operation.
According to Dave Main, general manager of Smit Salvagers, the transfer of oil should be completed by sometime on Saturday, with the Cape Africa being brought into False Bay along a predetermined route.
"On Tuesday or Wednesday the Smit Amandla (tug) tows the Cape Africa into False Bay to an anchorage position... She will be towed in stern first, or backwards, in order to protect the vulnerable bow (which has a gaping hole estimated to be about 23m by eight metres)," said Main.
Once the Cape Africa was anchored, a diving team with video will conduct a full inspection of the ship.
Salvors will then put in place a "cofferdam" or dry habitat where people can work for repair work to be undertaken to the damaged hull.
It was expected the repairs would take about two to three weeks to complete, before the ship resumes its journey to the Far East.
- SAPA