Wreck removals get the go ahead

Salvage efforts resume along SA coast

SOUTH AFRICA: As work resumes to remove the wreck of the FV Elke M that ran aground near St Francis Bay in the Eastern Cape at the beginning of the year, sources confirm that the Shanghai Salvage Company will be mobilising during December to begin work on removing the wreck of the Ultra Galaxy in an operation that is likely to continue until March next year.

Resumption of the work to remove the FV Elke M that was paused in May due to extreme weather conditions began last week following the completion an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

According to the South African Maritime Safety Authority, the removal of the loose steel parts of the vessel began on Thursday last week and are continuing this week. According to the findings of the EIA undertaken by Dr Warwick Sauer, of the faculty of Ichthyology and Fisheries Sciences at Rhodes University steel structural portion of the vessel, has firmly settled on the rocky shoreline.

P&I representative, Nick Sloane, has confirmed that a service provider procured by the vessel owner’s insurers remained posted to monitor the vessel remains’ condition and collected debris found in the area.

Monitoring will continued through to February next year by which time it is anticipated that the wreck is likely to have been completely removed.