Salvage team on duty

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As cargo vessel MV Pratibha Cauvery that ran aground following Cyclone Nilam continues to draw the attention of the public at Foreshore Estate beach, the owners have decided to salvage the ship by Thursday.

“The salvage team from Singapore is already at work assessing the situation and once the powerful tug from Kakinada reaches the city, the work to pull the ship to a port will begin,” said Chennai port trust chairman Atulya Misra.

He said gears are being fitted to tug Malviya at Kakinada and it is expectedto reach the city by Monday evening.

“Salvage works will begin by Tuesday if the tug has the potential to pull the whole ship out of the sand.

If not, we will wait till the emergency towing vessel reaches the city on Wednesday,” he added.

The salvage team has been visiting the ship for the last two days. “They said the tug should have a minimum capacity of 80 tonnes to pull the vessel out of the sand. So, we are waiting for the 130-tonne-strong tug from Kakinada,” he explained. The salvage team would pull the ship out of the sand and make it re-floatable.

Shipping ministry sources confirmed that the ship was detained at Visakhapatnam in July, as the officials there raised a few technical points. But, later, she was allowed to sail after the ship’s representatives promised to set things right.

The officials further noted that the ship was due for dry dock and the company was expecting to do some repairs and get the certificates renewed.

On the issue of the ship’s seaworthiness, the official said the Indian Register of Shipping had suspended its certificate on October 2.

“Even if the certificate expires, if the ship was on the high seas, then the certificate is considered valid till she touches port,” the official clarified.