Cutting operations to separate section seven of capsized car carrier Golden Ray (IMO 9775816) in St Simon’s Sound, Brunswick, Georgia, have recommenced. Divers and personnel aboard the VB-10000 have located and reconnected the cutting chain after the failure of joining links on April 7th led to a pause in the operation. Responders have replaced the larger profile joining links with slimmer Kenter joining links in order to improve the cutting system. Collected data from fixed monitors and hydrographic surveys confirmed that the wreck remained stable. During a large debris recovery operation last week responders removed about 40 vehicles and 6 decks. They used a crane equipped with a multi-tine grapple attachment. Divers have now completed drilling additional drain holes for all remaining sections.
Meanwhile barge Julie B arrived safely at a Louisiana recycling facility on April 16th with Section Two of the Golden Ray.
The car carrier was entered with North of England Club, although the $400m-plus loss will devolve mainly to the group pool and thence to external reinsurance.
Seventeen divers contracted to Seacor Marine were continuing a search for eight the crew members of liftship Seacor Power (IMO 8765682) who remain missing. The US Coast Guard suspended their search operations for survivors on Monday April 19th. The teams were also probably gathering information for the investigation into the accident. While the divers continued searching underwater, the United Cajun Navy has been using two seaplanes to search a wide offshore area.
2002-built, USA-flagged, 2,276 gt Seacor Power is owned by Falcon Global Offshore II LLC care of manager Seacor Liftboats LLC of Louisiana, USA. ISM manager is Seacor Marine LLC of Morgan City, Louisiana, USA. It is entered with Skuld (Business Unit Skuld Offshore) on behalf of Falcon Global Holdings LLC.
Seven of the 20 missing crewmembers of LCT Cebu Great Ocean have been found alive. All 10 crewmembers went missing from the vessel laden, which was laden with nickel ore, ran aground earlier this week in waters off Surigao del Norte, Philippines, during a typhoon. SAR operations continued for the remaining 13 crewmembers. Reports said that 18 crewmembers who abandoned the vessel were still in a life raft when contact was lost on Tuesday, in sustained bad weather. Two crewmembers were reported as separated from the rest, and their whereabouts remained unknown.
Crude oil tanker Fairway (IMO 9590319) requested medical assistance to two sick crew in the evening Apr 20 off Le Havre, France. MRCC Jobourg scrambled helicopter, both crew were airlifted and transported to hospital at Le Havre. FAIRWAY left Port du Havre-Antifer, France, in the morning Apr 19, and anchored at Le Havre outer anchorage same day, she remained anchored as of morning Apr 21. The character of sickness wasn’t revealed, and there was no mentioning of injures.
2013-built, Singapore-flagged, 84,628 gt Fairway is owned by Xinghai International Shipping Singapore care of manager Eastern Pacific Shipping Pte Ltd of Singapore. It is entered with North of England on behalf of Kitfol Shipping Ltd.
General cargo ship Marsgracht (IMO 9571507) suffered an engine failure shortly after leaving Savona port, Italy on April 20th. The crew were unable to fix the problem and so the Master decided to return to Savona. The ship managed to return under its own power, but at a slow speed. The vessel is en route to Algeciras.
2011-built, Netherlands-flagged, 9,524 gt Marsgracht is owned by Marsgracht CV care of manager Spliethoff’s Bevrachtingskantoor BV of Amsterdam, Netherlands. It is entered with Britannia on behalf of Rederij Marsgracht.