Hot Tap Method To Retrieve Oil From Sunken Ship

A meeting of stakeholders, held at New Mangalore Port last week, approved the salvage operations of M V Denden which sank due to rough weather near Tannirubavi on June 23. Salvage experts of Svitzer Wijsmuller from Holland tabling its survey carried out on the sunken vessel from the seaside and shore-side, concluded that under the prevailing weather conditions, the best mode of retrieving oil would be the ‘hot tap method.’ The vessel is currently lying in surf zone’ with her bottom facing shore, deck seawards and port side sticking out of the water. Any attempt to remove 100 tonnes intermediate fuel oil and 40 tonnes gas oil would be hazardous, resulting in pollution rather than preventing it.M.V. DendenThe meeting attended by NMPT Chairman P Tamilvanan, Deputy Conservator K V Vaswanni, Mercantile Marine Department surveyor Kuswah, representatives of Inter Coastal Ship Owners, representative of James Mackintosh and Company approved extraction of liquid by ‘hot tap’ method. ‘‘Building a platform in the prevailing weather is impossible’’. Under the hot tap method the ship’s hull is punctured and liquid extracted by means of a pipe is transferred to a mobile container on the shore. ‘‘The entire salvage operation would be completed within three days in good weather,’’ salvage experts emphasised and urged stake holders not to pressurise them to work on a deadline. With the meeting clearing the strategy, the salvage team begun mobilising men and material. Most of the equipment would be imported from Singapore and other foreign countries. Divers are already on their way to Mangalore from Mumbai. Salvage Master had submitted its report to its office in Netherlands for further action on mobilising men and material. A small office is also being planned at Tannirubavi.