Inclement weather challenges ‘Charity’ salvors

It’s truly a “winter of our discontent” for the Cape West Coast at this time of year as a daunting task faces salvors Svitzer Salvage Africa to come up with the final answer for the damaged MV Long Charity at the port of Saldanha. The 93 000 gross tonne Chinese ore carrier suffered engine failure while departing the port on July 23, holed in the fore section after striking a reef. Nevertheless, the 32-year-old ship, with questions raised over her seaworthiness at the time of the calamity, was successfully refloated 48 hours later by Svitzer. The vessel was fully laden with 170 000 tons of iron ore, destined for Asia, and here lies the problem – much of the cargo has to be off-loaded to lighten the vessel for a thorough inspection of damage. Captain Nick Sloane, general manager and senior salvage master for Svitzer Salvage Africa, told FTW at week’s end his company, armed with a Lloyd’s Open Form entitling it to full operational control of the Long Charity, had chartered two vessels to remove cargo to quayside. First came the 23 660dwt bulker Suomigracht followed by the 17 490dwt vessel Marissa Green, both sourced from West African waters. Problem, however, has been the coast’s inclement weather, heavy swells and suchlike, aside from a technical glitch or two, which has complicated the operation somewhat. Sloane says about 5 000 of the proposed 60 000 to 70 000 tons of ore has been removed thus far, a process that will be largely dictated by the weather. The end result will amount to either temporary or permanent repairs. The intention is to build at quayside a cofferdam to necessitate such remedial action. Problem, though, is the vessel is too large to be drydocked in a South African port so will have to head elsewhere. “It’s still winter and we expect to be exposed to the elements for another month,” says Sloane. Cargo offloaded is assigned to the multi-purpose terminal, and thereafter to a dedicated stockpile but whether this selfsame cargo will eventually be shipped on the same vessel is a moot point, Sloane pointing to the port’s export commitments taking it through to January. Saldanha harbourmaster, Captain Peter Stowe, says the vessel poses no impediment to the daily comings and goings of vessels, nor has it presented pollution of any kind. Weather aside, the scaleddown Chinese crew of 24-odd will have little to complain about in the food stakes – with farmed mussels and oysters and freshly landed fish in abundance, though noodles may present a bit of a problem.