Salvors have finally managed to board the fire-damaged New Shipping VLCC off the coast of Sri Lanka, the country’s coastguard has confirmed.
An initial team of three were able to board the 300,000-dwt New Diamond (built 2000) for an initial inspection before being joined by another six-man team.
The Sri Lanka Coast Guard said the crude aboard the vessel “was now safe” and that a “colossal maritime disaster” had been averted.
Salvage operations continue to be conducted in what were described as “rough sea conditions” about 50 nautical miles (93 km) off Kalmunai where the fire-stricken ship is located.
Separately, the Sri Lanka Coast Guard said it had detected a fuel slick about 10 to 30 metres wide and about a nautical mile long.
An aircraft from the Indian Coast Guard is said to have been flown to the location to spray dispersants on the area where the slick was located.
However, the Sri Lanka Coast Guard said it is believed that the slick was not caused by a crude oil leak from the New Diamond.
“The ship's engine and pump rooms have been flooded with sea water. Therefore, it is suspected that the fuel slick was caused by sludge oozed with flood water,” it said.
TradeWinds reported on Thursday that salvage, firefighting and pollution prevention measures have been running for more than a week and are expected to continue for some time.
Smit Salvage has been appointed as the salvor in the case under a Lloyd’s Open Form contract with special compensation protection and indemnity clause.
The hull of the New Diamond has yet to be declared a constructive total loss, but insurance experts suggest that — given the ship’s age and the extensive fire damage — it is unlikely hull and machinery insurers will seek to save and rebuild the vessel.
The insured value of the hull is unknown but it has a market value of around $21m, according to online valuations platform VesselsValue.
