A massive car carrier that capsized early last Sunday off Georgia's Port of Brunswick is not going anywhere soon — especially now that the salvage has been suspended due to bad weather.
The 7,700-ceu Golden Ray (built 2017) turned over on its side as a fire erupted near the Hyundai Glovis-owned ship's cargo of about 4,000 cars.
The US Coast Guard (USCG) rescued all 24 seafarers aboard the disabled vessel by Tuesday, allowing authorities to focus on carrying out an accident investigation and salvage operations.
"It could be weeks, possibly months," Joey Nesbitt, an assistant with Georgia Department of Natural Resources' Joint Information Center, told TradeWinds Friday.
Salvage operation on hold
Salvage operations were suspended Sunday "due to heavy weather and concern for crew safety", the center said in a bulletin.
“Out of concern for the safety for our response crews we have made the decision to temporarily halt operations involving the Golden Ray and plan to resume as soon as it’s safe to," US Coast Guard Savannah unit commander and federal on-scene coordinator Norm Witt said.
The St. Simons Sound vicinity off Port of Brunswick was experiencing thunderstorms and heavy riptides on Sunday, according to the US National Weather Service.
Specialists are monitoring air quality around the vessel and surrounding areas.
No impacts on air quality have been detected to date but a water-sampling plan is being developed.
Pending safe weather, response teams are canvassing the shoreline to identify environmental impacts.
The salvage team, which includes Don Jon Salvage and Gallagher Marine Services, aims to remove the wreck with least disruption to the natural environment, he said.
"They're looking at two options," he said.
Authorities are at the same time keeping an eye on an approaching tropical storm but plan to continue the investigation and salvage for now.
"Our priority right now is the safety of the responders, recovery of any contaminants that have entered the water and securing of the vessel in advance of the storm," Gallagher Marine Services incident commander Chris Graff said.
The investigation will determine whether or not the ship's owner, Hyundai Glovis, will face any fines or penalties as a result of the accident, he said.
Calls to Hyundai Glovis have not been immediately returned.
Watching out for fuel leaks
It is unknown at this time where the ship will be taken once it is removed from the casualty site, Nesbitt said.
The USCG has sealed off three fuel vents that are currently under water to prevent fuel-oil leakage while it considers offloading the bunker as part of the salvage operation, Savannah Unit Commander Norm Witt said.
"Some of those tanks are kind of toward the exterior in the stern of the ship. Other tanks are internal to the vessel," he said Thursday during a press conference at the center.
"As we continue to move forward and develop the salvage plans, we're always looking to mitigate the potential pollution threat."
The fuel tanks are carrying about 300,000 gallons of fuel oil while the cars onboard the ship contain fuel as well, he said.
Booms and other equipment are being used to contain any leaked oil as salvage personnel monitor the shoreline for any spillage.
"The goal is to keep the ship intact," he said.
Open for business
The USCG cleared four ships leaving the port Thursday and three more coming in Friday after opening the harbor partially to vessel traffic, Witt said.
Ship movement is being allowed on a "case-by-case basis" while a half-mile safety perimeter is maintained around the Golden Ray.
"We're certainly making good progress on that front," he said.
About 100 vessels enter and exit the port on a monthly basis, he said.
