Salvage Operations Underway for Grounded Cargo Ship ‘Ultra Galaxy’ in South Africa

Efforts are in full swing to extract contents from the Panama-flagged general cargo vessel MV Ultra Galaxy, which has run aground and is almost beached on its side in a remote coastal area of the Western Cape, South Africa, north-west of Cape Town.

The operation, led by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), aims to relieve the stricken vessel of its cargo amid adverse weather conditions.

Teams of salvage workers, confronted by cold, wet, and windy weather, have gathered en masse in the remote Duiwegat region, known for its rocky landscape and stretches of soft sandy beaches. Their primary objective is to remove the vessel’s low sulphur fuel, hydraulic oils, and shipment of fertilizer.

The operation is being coordinated by an Incident Management Organisation (IMOrg) team, led by the Department of Transport and SAMSA.

SAMSA reported on Thursday that expert salvage teams had arrived on-site and were surveying the surrounding areas and the vessel. Efforts are focused on preparing equipment to allow salvors to access the vessel once the heavy weather subsides. Pollution clean-up teams are already removing flotsam from the beaches, and a Navigation Warning has been issued to all ships in the area to watch for any flotsam that may present a danger to navigation.

The 124.56-meter-long general cargo vessel, built in 2008, was en route to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania when it was abandoned by its crew of 18 Filipino seafarers after developing an excessive list and subsequently grounding Tuesday night. A preliminary assessment determined that the vessel, located approximately 60 nautical miles west of Doring Bay at the time of its distress, had a full load of fertilizer in bags on board, in addition to its own low sulphur bunkering fuel and hydraulic oils.

After abandoning the vessel, the crew members were safely rescued from a life raft and evacuated to St Helena Bay, where they received routine medical attention.

Transworld Fleet Management, the managers of the Ultra Galaxy, confirmed there were no reports of injuries. The company is closely working with SAMSA and the appointed salvors, focusing all efforts on the vessel’s recovery.

An investigation into the cause of the incident has been launched, and further details will be shared as they become available.

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