Ray Smuts THE OFT-asked question: “how much?” has yet to be answered by US Ship Management Inc, owners of the Sea-Land Express which ran aground off Cape Town in August. But FTW learnt last week the salvage cost could run to US$8 million (R56m). While Clare du Plooy-Gomes of salvors Smit Marine could not confirm the figure last Friday, an impeccable source told FTW that US$8 million was the figure mentioned. According to latest information the vessel is valued at US$6 million(R42m) and the cargo - including 300000 litres of premium brand tequila - at around US$24 million(R168m). The US Coast Guard report into the stranding is not yet complete as an undertaking to copy the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) has not materialised but could be delivered by mid-November. The authority is in any event compiling its own casualty/accident report into the incident. “The problem with reports of this nature is that a lot of lawyers are shouting for them and I ask why must we give it,” says SAMSA’s Captain Bill Dernier, “There is this clash. We investigate to determine the facts and to take steps to prevent a mishap occurring again - our mandate under the Law of the Sea Convention - and unfortunately lawyers, lots of them, use us for that. They get our report and at least half their homework is done which we find very annoying.”
