Crane Barge stuck in cargo vessel's salvage operation, re-floated

KARACHI: The salvage operation of a cargo vessel stuck at Karachi’s Seaview has got its initial success after a crane barge which was also grounded at the beach re-floated, ARY News reported on Sunday.

A crane barge deployed for the salvage operation of the cargo motor vessel (MV) Heng Tong 77, was also stuck at the Seaview beach.

The rescuers pulled the grounded crane barge during high tidal waves in the sea. The salvage operation to pull and re-float the grounded ship will resume during next four days of high tidal waves, sources said.

The first effort for salvage of the ship will begin tomorrow in the morning. Scores of earlier efforts to pull the vessel stuck at the beach have failed so far.

The 98 metres in length and 20 metres wide vessel MV Heng Tong 77, with a capacity of 3,600 deadweight tonnage, was said to be waiting for a crew change outside the Karachi harbour while on its way to Turkey from China when tidal waves caused it to lose its anchors and start drifting towards the shore.

Earlier, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs had declared MV Heng Tong 77 unseaworthy and decided to seize the vessel under the regulations of Merchant Ordinance 2001. The captain of the cargo vessel was formally informed about the decision.

In its letter, the concerned authorities wrote to the cargo ship’s captain that the navigation and machinery system of the vessel was not working. It added that the unseaworthy cargo ship was dangerous to the human lives and assets.