Salvage workers have managed to refloat an ageing bulker that has been aground close to a Unesco World Heritage site for more than two months.
The 74,000-dwt Solomon Trader (built 1994), partially loaded with 11,000 tonnes of bauxite, got stuck in the Solomon Islands' Rennell Bay in February this year after being caught up in a storm.
There were fears of a major pollution incident with 700 tonnes of bunker fuel on the vessel in an environmentally sensitive region.
More than 70 tonnes of fuel were estimated to have leaked from the ship.
However by mid-March, appointed salvage company Resolve had managed to remove the fuel, seal the hull and prevent further leaks.
The success of the refloating operation will come as a relief to the ship’s owner, Hong Kong based King Trader, and its insurers the Korea P & I Club, and Lloyd’s of London reinsurers, which were facing a potentially huge wreck removal bill if the vessel had to be dismantled on site.
They are likely to still face a substantial claim linked to the pollution, pollution prevention measures and refloating operation.
Insurers may be able to limit their liability under the Bunker and Wreck Removal conventions.
The bulker, which has already been declared a constructive total loss, is now being inspected before it likely heads off to the demolition yard.
