Attempts to refloat the stranded log-carrier Kiperousa failed on Thursday, but the operation will be tried again on Friday evening, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa) said.
Spokesperson Captain Peter Kroon said on Friday that the cable between the tug and the ship came undone on the first pull on Thursday evening.
”She hasn’t moved. She is still sitting there,” he said.
Samsa will try again at about 6pm on Friday when the tide will be at its highest.
”The weather is fine, the wind is down, the swell is down and we’ll use a bigger, better, stronger cable,” Kroon said.
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.”
On Thursday, crew members were airlifted from the stranded vessel on to a tug, the Nikolay Chiker, by helicopter.
Earlier on Thursday, Samsa said it had 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 according to Samsa 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. — Sapa