Bulk carrier Black Rose (IMO 7602455) sank off Paradip Port on September 9th, 2009, but since then she has remained with the local authorities not pushing for a removal of the wreckage, reports the Orissa Post.
The ship sank with 23,843 tonnes of iron ore and 947 tonnes of furnace oil on board, around 6km from the breakwater of Paradip Port.
Of the 27 crew members, 26 (17 Bangladeshis, three Russians and six Ukrainians) were rescued, with Chief Engineer Oleksander Ilyushchenko the only fatality.
In November 2010 the High Court had directed the then Collector of Jagatsinghpur to take possession of MV Black Rose as “receiver of the wreck” and to proceed with salvage operations.
The wreck is currently functioning as an artificial breakwater, affecting flow patterns of the sea, potentially disrupting the long shore sediment transport rat and leading to erosion of the beach.
The cost of clearing the debris was estimated at INR1.2bn ($16.6m), with the scrap value of the ship barely INR40m ($550,000).
The Crime Branch ended its probe by blaming the owner of the vessel. Marine police filed a case against ship owner Singapore-based Black Rose Maritime Ltd, Pacmar Shipping Private Ltd and the Hong Kong-based hirer of the ship Devi Trading Co Ltd in October 2009.
There were further charges relating to allegedly fabricated insurance papers and other documents.
During the investigation it was found that the ship was operating without a maritime licence, and that the insurance and fitness papers were forged, with the documents of another vessel (Toros Pearl) submitted to the port authorities.
The extradition of a charged individual form Singapore has not yet been achieved.
Sea Trans Private Ltd, Kolkata, had filed a case against the owner of the Black Rose in the London Court of International Arbitration for submitting fake documents to operate the cargo carrier.
1977-built, Mongolia-flagged, 22,263 gt Black Rose is registered as being owned by Black Rose Maritime Ltd of Majoro, Marshall Islands, and managed by Pacmar Shipping of Singapore.
http://www.orissapost.com/9-yrs-on-mv-black-rose-wreckage-not-removed/