Experts Consider Scrapping Beached Coal Ship "Pasha Bulker"

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Experts Consider Scrapping Beached Coal Ship "Pasha Bulker"

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From gCaptain's Blog:

In an interesting turn of events  the salvage team working to remove
the Coal Ship that ran aground on a popular Australian beach believe
Pasha Bulker is damaged worse than predicted. The Herald Sun tells us:

A salvage expert and marine engineer said the cost of
refloating the ship and fixing its damaged hull was so close to the
vessel�s $41million replacement price it was financially unviable.

If the Pasha is labeled a �total constructive loss�, the
ship could be dismantled on site - a task that would take six months,
plus time for planning and approval.

If this plan to scrap the vessel happens a new team of experts will
arrive to build a pier out to the ship and pump out all remaining fuel
oil. Then �big thermal lances and other heavy hi-tech cutting equipment
to cut it to pieces, crane it away on trucks and dispose of it.� This
process will need to get various environmental and safety approvals
before the shipwrecking teams can begin.

Read the rest of gCaptain's story:
Maritime Experts Consider Dismantling Pasha Bulker For Scrap

More Links:

• Pasha Bulker Photo Slideshow
• gCaptain's Coverage of the Incident
  

 UPDATE:

gCaptain.com reader Ian provides this update:

Ian
// Jun 24, 2007 at 5:57 pm

Preparations
continue for the attempt to refloat the Pasha Bulker, with three large
anchors positioned seaward over recent days. It is suggested that it
may involve several attempts and weather permitting, they will coincide
with predicted spring tides ranging from 1.85m Saturday 30 June, to
1.88m Monday thence tapering from 1.86m Tuesday.

Local radio this morning, interviewed ‘one of Australia’s leading
salvage experts’, Brett Divine who believes that the vessel has
sustained serious damage below water and may not hold up to the
stresses involved in hauling her off. It appears that his company is
one of several already discussing plans to dismantle the vessel should
the refloating effort fail.