Defueling from sunken ship is on, to take one month’s time

Mangaluru: Measures have been taken for the defueling of the sunken vessel MV Princess Miral and the process is expected to be completed in a month. The foreign flag ship ran aground off New Mangalore on June 21 last year.
Deputy commissioner Ravi Kumar MR said the vessel is one and attempts were made to reach its owner. The ship was on its way to China. It is suspected that it lost its direction and came to Mangaluru, sailed to Cochin and then came back to Ullal. The vessel has a huge quantity of furnace oil, diesel and steel.
“We contacted the owners and when they did not turn up, we contacted the insurance company and they in turn approached DG shipping, following which Bansal Group was approached to undertake the process. Once they arrived, all necessary NOCs were given from all departments, including fire, police, revenue and the Coast Guard, pollution control board and the port authority. Once NOCs were obtained, the company staff were trained in Mumbai on the removal of fuel, without causing any spillage that would harm the ocean,” he said.
“The defueling of diesel and furnace oil is expected to be completed in a month’s time, following which permission will be given to remove the steel from the ship and then salvage operation of wreck will be taken,” he said.
About 15 Syrian nationality mariners of the grounded vessel had abandoned the vessel off Mangaluru due to a breach in the hull and ingress of water into the holds. They were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard. After the completion of the necessary formalities, the mariners returned home on September 1. The ship was reportedly carrying 8,000 tons of steel coil from Tianjin in China to Beirut and is believed to be holding over 220 tons of fuel.