Acting SOSRep Hugh Shaw informed that good progress is being made to move MV Priscilla and the agreed quantity of bunkers has now been safely removed from the vessel. Mr. Shaw is optimistic that operations to re-float the ship are progressing well.
In the past 24 hours the salvor companies – Multraship/Ardent/Wagenborg – removed 28 tonnes of Marine Gas Oil (MGO) from the vessel. 15 tonnes of MGO will now be retained on board for essential services. The 4 tonnes of ‘solidified’ Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) and 2 tonnes of Lubricating Oil (LO) will be retained on board.
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In addition, over 270 tonnes of cargo has been successfully discharged from the vessel onto a reception barge. The barge is currently heading to Windwick Bay where it will be loaded onto the MV Priscilla’s sister ship MV Alana Evita.
A second barge is now loading cargo and operations will continue until about 1,350 tonnes have been removed in order to lighten the vessel. To control an un-planned re-float during lightering operations a tug will be connected to the stern of the MV Priscilla once 500 tonnes has been discharged.
Additional vessels are also on scene to support the salvage operation.
The Temporary Exclusion Zone remains at 1,000 metres while the operation and activity is ongoing. The 6-person crew are safe and remain on board.
A Salvage Control Unit (SCU) meeting was held yesterday (July 24), where the salvors’ – Multraship/Ardent/Wagenborg – plan was discussed and approved.
Namely, the re-float operation will include the following stages:
- Sea state and tidal forces, approximately 1,350 tonnes of cargo will need to be discharged onto barges, transported and loaded onto a receiving cargo vessel;
- The casualty’s tanks will then be prepared for air pressurisation;
- The casualty will then be de-ballasted and re-floated on high water. After a successful re-float there will be a brief inspection of the vessel before towing it to a safe location to facilitate further inspections.
In addition, the UK MAIB announced that it started a safety investigation of the grounding of the 89m Netherlands registered cargo ship ‘MV Priscilla‘.
