Greek owner Lomar Shipping believes it will be able to refloat the 2,194-teu containership Kea Trader (built 2017) despite what looks like a protracted salvage operation.
The boxship, which was delivered this year, has already run aground on Durand Reef in the Pacific for more than two weeks as salvage company Ardent begins the job of removing fuel and lube oils.
Although the Kea Trader grounded hard on the rocks, Lomar dismissed speculation it might have to be broken up and is confident the ship can be freed by refloating.
However, the final salvage plan is still undergoing assessment.
In a statement, Lomar told TradeWinds: “The condition of [the] Kea Trader is being assessed on an ongoing basis — by teams onboard, by divers and remotely via modelling produced by specialist naval architects. Whilst the full extent of damage is still unknown, and will only likely become clearer after she is refloated, the vessel remains in a stable position on a flat rock reef as confirmed by initial underwater inspections.”
Four tugs are already in attendance, with another two, including an anchor handling tug, heading to the site to assist in the upcoming refloating operation.
