VISAKHAPATNAM: Even as the State government is contemplating converting Bangladeshi ship MV Maa, which ran aground at Tenneti Park beach, into a hotel, the agencies involved in the salvage operation said they were making efforts to refloat the ship.
Surender Singh Gill, CEO of Gill Marine, told TNIE on Wednesday that the entire oil had been transferred from the ship and they were cleaning the vessel. A team of US-based Resolve Marine agency, which will be salvaging the ship, has already arrived.
Gill said the team will be undertaking bathymetry, survey of depth of the sea, on Thursday and boats for undertaking the survey have already arrived. Gill Marine team will also be participating in the survey of the sea.
He said high tide is predicted on November 14 and the Resolve team was planning to execute the salvage operation to refloat the ship and put it back into the sea.
Meanwhile, CMD of Navship Marine Services Ltd, local agency of MV Maa, Bhupesh Malaratua said necessary inspection and survey work to refloat the ship were going on a daily basis and pull off operation will be carried out during the spring tide conditions, which are likely around November 15. He said Resolve is a big company from the US and has a branch in Mumbai and has expertise in salvage operations. It undertook salvage operations across the globe, he said.
Bhupesh said there was no truth in the reports, contrary to what is happening.The ship drifted ashore on October 12 night after the vessel parted her anchor chain due to strong winds.
The 80-m long 3,000 tonne Bangladesh vessel was anchored in September in ballast condition to load 2800 MT of quartzite for the Port of Mongla. The vessel’s insurer has appointed MS Gill Marines on October 13 to remove fuel from the vessel. Resolve Marine Pvt Ltd was hired by the ship owner to undertake the salvage operation.