Two-thirds of the cargo has been removed from the grounded Safmarine Agulhas and the rest will be steam-cleaned before being taken ashore, the National Port Authority (NPA) said on Thursday.
NPA East London spokesperson Terry Taylor said 475 containers have been offloaded — all the cargo from the deck and two dry holds — leaving 199 containers submerged and contaminated with oil in two completely flooded holds.
There were 595 containers on board, slightly more than the original estimate of 581.
”All of the containers in holds two and three will be brought above deck and steam-cleaned with high-pressure steam and detergent. They’ll be cleaned on the ship. We won’t allow them to come ashore in that condition.”
Divers are being used to help offload the flooded cargo.
”They will feel around and connect up the ropes,” said Taylor.
He said the divers wear special wetsuits to protect them from the oil. Two wetsuits have been flown in from Rotterdam in The Netherlands.
Taylor said all the containers have been accounted for. ”Nothing has been lost overboard.”
He said all 88 tonnes of diesel fuel is off the ship and about 600 tonnes of the 662 tonnes of bunker fuel.
”They won’t attempt to refloat her at this stage until all the containers are off.”
Although the Agulhas is leaking, Taylor and Smit Salvage spokesperson Clare Gomes both said her back has not been broken.
”Nothing has changed overnight with regard to the vessel’s structure … Nothing’s changed since last week,” said Gomes.
The Agulhas ran aground off the East London harbour when her engines failed after leaving port on June 26. — Sapa