UK coastguard authorities are expressing frustration at a lack of information coming from salvors tasked with handling the Hoegh Osaka car ship, which was deliberately run aground at the weekend (3 January) and is currently listing at up to 50 degrees.
The giant 51,000t vessel is carrying 1,300 vehicles, mainly from Jaguar Land Rover and BMW for shipment to the Middle East, but developed a severe list shortly after leaving the Port of Southampton bound for its initial destination of Bremerhaven.
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Danish salvors, Svitzer, have been on board the Hoegh Osaka to determine what condition the vehicles may be in and are due now at a press conference in Southampton, but the UK Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA), believes more information could have been forthcoming.
“I don’t understand why they [salvors] are not being more open,” an MCA spokeswoman told just-auto from Southampton. “The salvors are the only people who have been on the vessel in the last 24h.
“They are working hard and we are all working hard in teams together, but there is some sort of public interface failing. We can’t answer their enquires because we are the Maritime & Coastguard Agency.”
A Svitzer spokeswoman in Copenhagen told just-auto the salvors had an “experienced and qualified team” assessing the situation just off the Southampton coast, but said she had “absolutely no details” of any update.
“MCA are the only ones who are speaking to the press,” added the Svitzer spokeswoman.”
With around 500t of mixed fuel on board, concerns have been raised as to spillage potential, triggering the attention of the UK’s head of Counter Pollution, Andrew Healy, with the ship alternating its list angle by between five to ten degrees, depending on tides.
“The listing – it changes because it is still tidal waters,” said the MCA spokeswoman. “It is between 45 and 50 degrees.
“Since it came to rest the Counter Pollution head [Healy] is here and [he] said the list does change between five degrees and ten degrees depending on tides.”
