Gusting winds in Southampton Water are continuing to hamper attempts to salvage the Hoegh Osaka car ship, leading one tug involved to crash into the vessel’s side this weekend.
Salvers, Svitzer, are attempting to pump out 3,000t of water which previously flooded into the ship, following movement of cargo on board that forced a crack, with no update yet on the 1,300 vehciles on board bound for Germany and the Middle East.
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Today’s (12 January) forecast is for gusts of 32kt, but this weekend saw the luxury cruise liner, Queen Mary 2, report winds spiralling to 72kt on entering the south coast terminal, curtailing attempts to tow the 51,000t Hoegh Osaka into the Port of Southampton.
“The weather has been pretty foul down there,” a spokesman for Svitzer, told just-auto. “They have to pump all this water out [3,000t] and can only do it when it is safe.
“The ship is safe and sound and is well protected.”
The giant car vessel remains at anchor, but very high winds this weekend caused the tug to smash into the side of the Hoegh Osaka, although no injuries were reported and none of the 500t of mixed fuel on board leaked into the Solent.
Weekend updates from the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) indicate two tugs remain attached to the Hoegh Osaka, one fore and one aft.
The aim is to attach another tug to the bow if weather permits, but conditions have been too unsafe for the salvors to board and finalise pumping arrangements.
The forecast is for continuing high winds this week, with plans being “refined “to meet the challenges this presents. In particular, the salvors will now start ballasting work before trying to pump the 3,000t of water out of the vessel.
“At the moment the high level meeting is taking place,” an MCA spokeswoman told just-auto from Southampton.
“The salvage control unit team meets at 10:00 every morning – we get an update from that meeting.”
Jaguar Land Rover has around 1,200 vehicles on board, while BMW has 65 Minis worth around GBP1.3m (US$2m), as well as one bespoke Rolls-Royce Wraith, whose value is as-yet unknown.
JCB also has 105 machines on board, with the company maintaining they are now under the ownership of dealers in the Middle East.
