The salvage tug Nikolay Chiker was on Thursday morning closing in on the stranded log-carrier Kiperousa, as part of an effort to refloat her, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa) said.
Spokesperson Captain Peter Kroon said the tug would try to refloat her during the high tide on Thursday afternoon.
He said weather conditions were favourable for the salvage attempt.
”The wind is picking up, but it is only a fair breeze,” he said. ”If these conditions hold, the work can continue.”
In a statement, Samsa said it has given permission for the salvage operation to go ahead without the oil being removed from the Kiperousa.
”As removal of the oil from the vessel would be very difficult and time-consuming, Samsa has agreed to the salvor’s plan to try to get the vessel off the beach as soon as possible.”
Small amounts of oil are leaking from the ship, but Samsa said the slick is very thin and is dispersing naturally.
Pollution-response teams from the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism are on stand-by if the leakage increases.
The Kiperousa is carrying 250 000 litres of heavy fuel oil and 63 000 litres of diesel oil.
Samsa said the other hazard is that the cargo of heavy logs could enter the water.
”There remains the additional hazard of the cargo (very large logs) entering the water, as they would present a navigational hazard and nuisance for some time to come.”
The Kiperousa is a 14 921 gross tonne log-carrier and was en route from Gabon to Durban to take in fuel oil when it ran aground on a reef off Bhenga, just south of Hamburg in the Eastern Cape, on Tuesday.
”The vessel sustained damage to [its] bottom, which resulted in the engine room being flooded and a total loss of power and facilities.”
The crew was evacuated and the vessel assessed, Samsa said in its statement.
”The vessel, although at anchor and afloat when abandoned, unfortunately was blown on to the beach during the night of the 7th [Tuesday night], where she now lies aground.”
The salvage master from the international company Tsavliris and a team of South African divers boarded the ship on Wednesday to assess it again, and they reported that it is largely intact.
Based on this information, Samsa said, it was decided to try refloating it on Thursday afternoon during the high tide. — Sapa