The South African Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa) was on Wednesday waiting for a plan of action to be determined by the Taiwanese owners of a stricken bulk carrier, Cape Africa, currently under tow to a rendezvous point off the Cape coast.
”She is still under tow to the 120 nautical mile mark… and will stay there until we have a viable plan from the owners on how we will deal with her,” said Samsa spokesperson Captain Bill Dernier.
The bulk carrier, which was on its way from Brazil to Japan, is laden with a cargo of iron ore.
On Monday the 270 metre vessel sent out a distress signal after a hole was discovered near the bow of the ship.
Dernier confirmed that eight non-essential crew members were removed from the vessel on Wednesday, leaving 10 members, including the ship’s captain, still on board.
The crew were removed by rescue boat attached to the Smit Amandla, the salvage tug towing Cape Africa to deeper waters.
Dernier said the estimated size of the hole in the hull was 20 metres long by two metres high.
”Bulk carriers have a reputation for crash diving… [she] could sink on us,” said Dernier, adding that the vessel, which was carrying a 1 800 ton load of heavy fuel, posed an environmental threat if she sank or broke up.
Dernier also said the vessel was too deep to enter Cape harbour for repairs, adding that repairing the vessel could present ”big problems”.
Meanwhile, James Mackenzie, a lawyer representing the ship’s Taiwanese owners, said that they would fly out Samsa surveyors to the ship, probably on Thursday.
”Following that… once they are able to assess the condition of the vessel, the owners will come up with an appropriate plan,” he said.
Mackenzie said that the ports of Saldanha or Richards Bay would be able to handle a ship of Cape Africa’s size for repair work to be undertaken.
The marine weather forecaster in Pretoria said the weather conditions over the next two days until Friday, in the proximity of the ship, would see a south-westerly swell of about 3.5 metres and a south-easterly wind of 20 to 25 knots.
A cold front which might worsen seagoing conditions was expected to pass early Saturday morning. – Sapa