Potential Maritime Disaster Averted
Collaboration between the Ports of East London and Ngqura, together with the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), helped avert another potential maritime disaster in the Eastern Cape during the past week. Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) towed the BBC Shanghai, a 101 meter long general cargo vessel with 11 crew members on board, safely into the Port of East London on Friday, March 17, after she suffered engine failure en route from Durban to Lagos. One of TNPA’s new tugs – Shasa – which has a bollard pull of 70 metric tons…
Smit Succeeds in Refloating the Nino
SMIT Salvage achieved the pollution-free refloating of the product tanker Nino today. This vessel grounded on South Africa’s Wild Coast, around 60 miles north east of East London, on July 18, while carrying a part cargo of 7,700 tonnes of gasoil and gasoline. The vessel went aground at a very remote location. SMIT obtained a LOF/SCOPIC salvage contract and immediately mounted a major casualty and pollution prevention operation. Vessels mobilised in the first few hours included the Wolraad Woltemade – one of the world’s largest salvage tugs, the anchorhandling tug Pentow Service, the environmental patrol vessel S.A. Kuswag 1 and an inshore survey vessel (required to survey the shallow waters around the grounded Nino).
ISU Warns that Environmental Salvage is Undervalued
Salvage services with environmental objectives are undervalued, according to the International Salvage Union. ISU President Joop Timmermans told some 200 delegates at the March 2003 Fourth International Marine Salvage Conference: “In the ISU’s view, environmental defense – as a function of salvage – is undervalued. The ISU–sponsored conference was held at the London headquarters of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Joop Timmermans said the salvor’s reward for his traditional role, property recovery, was related to the value of that property. As for any additional value placed on environmental – or public interest – salvage services, the Special Compensation provided under Article 14 of the Salvage Convention is confined, essentially, to the reimbursement of expenses.
