ULTRA GALAXY

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All oil presumed lost

The removal of all remaining oil and fuel onboard the 'Ultra Galaxy' with the assistance of the Platform Supply Vessel (PSV) iwas no longer feasible. The salvage effort now focused on the removal of the wreck. The P&I Club issued issued a temder. and there was keen interest both locally and abroad. This was consistent with the authority’s directive to the vessel owners to have the wreck removed from the South African west coast on the Atlantic Ocean. Following extensive assessments conducted over the past few days, it has been confirmed that the MV Ultra Galaxy has completely broken up due to the severe weather conditions experienced- Over 500 tons of oil and fuel, as well as the fertiliser cargo, has been lost, thanks to the stormy weather and sea conditions. Much of the oil has spread out along the nearby beach where it was being collected. With respect to the type of oil and fuel on board the ship when she went aground, in addition to low amounts of hydraulic and related oils the vessel had 332 tons of VLSFO (low sulphur) and 180 tons of MGO in her tanks as bunker fuel. Before she started breaking up salvors were able to remove eight tonnes of bunkering marine gas oil from the wreck. On Aug 23 the SAMSA said that given the extent of the damage, the likelihood of any intact fuel tanks remaining on the vessel was highly unlikely. Inspections conducted by foot, drone, and helicopter on Aug 21 indicated that the oil on the mining beaches has been cleaned and that there is no visible oil slick or contamination along the beaches, extending as far down as the Olifants River mouth and 5km north of the wreck. The cleanup crews remained on high alert and were on-site in full force, with any resurgence of oil only being sighted on the beaches immediately in front of the vessel. Despite the successful cleanup of all oil that was deposited onto the beach on Aug 19, the cleanup teams will remain on-site for at least the next two storm cycles as a precautionary measure. Report with photos: http://africaports.co.za/#8885

Oil leaking from wreck, which further broke up

Bad weather continues to hamper salvage work at the 'Ultra Galaxy', and oil iwa leaking from the wreck, which has split in two and capsized further. Large parts are now underwater. Aeerial inspections were conducted onAuig 18 and 19 and revealed oil in the surrounding waters, accompanied by a strong odour, indicating leaks. However the oil that has escaped was drifting within the predicted drift patterns and was washing up onto the immediate beaches, as predicted..It has already reached some beaches. The SAMSA was coordinating with the local authorities to manage the environmental impact of the spill. Additional volunteers were being drafted in to help clean up the spill. Cleanup operations were in full swing, with 170 people currently involved in the cleanup effort. This number is set to increase to at least 200 by Aug 20 to address the immediate need for enhanced cleanup operations. Additional pollution patrols were to be conducted along the length of the adjoining beaches, to ensure that no oil was drifting outside of the predicted area. Weather conditions were continued to be monitored closely to determine the most efficient, most suitable and safest course of action. Report with photos:; https://blog.samsa.org.za/2024/08/20/grounded-vessel-on-south-africas-west-coast-tears-further-into-pieces-as-wintry-stormy-weather-continues-to-wreck-it-samsa/

Salvors determined location of remaining oil - probe into shipwreck launched

While bad weather continued to hamper the salvage efforts of the 'Ultra Galaxy', officials from the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) launched the investigation process into the cause of the casualty. Under maritime law, Panama as the flag state of the vessel is leading the investigation while South Africa because it was affected by the wreck is assisting in the efforts. A team consisting of a surveyor and a technical expert from Panama will be arriving in the country and meeting with SAMSA. This comes after the investigators from Panama flew to the Philippines for interviews with the crew of the vessel, which have already been repatriated. There are several working theories that will be part of the investigation. Officials shared a few details based on their review of information and initial interviews with the crew. They were seeking to end some of the speculation in the South African media. There was nothing to suggest the ship had broken any laws. Some speculation has centered on whether the cargo shifted before the storm and was later exasperated by the high seas as well as possible mistakes in navigation by the vessel before or during the storm. A review of the logs showed the crew tried to alter course before the casualty of the vessel which had been sailing eastbound toward Tanzania. The salvage team has been able to determine the location of the remaining oil aboard the wreck. However, they require a window of a week of calm weather to proceed with the operation which will include heating the oil and siphoning it from the tanks. A platform supply vessel continues to stand by with the necessary equipment for the oil removal process. In the meantime, the shore cleanup continues, but they did not say if the vessel continues to leak oil. Representatives of the P&I Club are also on scene assisting in the salvage operation. They noted the focus currently is on the oil and environmental impact. A plan for the removal of the hulk will be determined in the second stage of the salvage operation.