The cutting operation was carried out in stages, firstly to sever the shell plating and then to cut the remaining longitudinal members in the ships structure.

Once afloat, work continued to prepare the bow section for towage and remove any further pollutants prior to scrapping. The underwriters considered a number of disposal options and the Harland & Wolf shipyard in Belfast was finally chosen to reduce the forepart of the ship to scrap for recycling.

Klyne Tugs (Lowestoft) Ltd, a member of the original consortium of salvors who beached the 53,409gt ship and removed the vessel’s oil and cargo of containers, returned to the scene with their anchor handling tug ‘Anglian Earl’ to undertake the delivery voyage. Before leaving Lyme Bay the crew of the Anglian Earl had to retrieve the ship’s anchor from the seabed. This tricky ‘close quarters’ operation involved grappling the anchor chain and hauling the anchor and its associated cable on deck, a task the crew of the anchor handler tug are quite used to.

The tug and tow finally left the Devon coast on Thursday 9 August and headed for Belfast in accordance with a carefully formulated passage plan. Weather conditions for the trip were good and Anglian Earl arrived in Belfast Lough on Monday 13 August and anchored to await instructions to proceed to the Harland and Wolf shipyard later that week.

The stern section will remain in-situ off the Devon coast until a dedicated wreck removal contract has been awarded. This section, containing the engine room, will be dismantled on site using floating cranes and barges or be lifted in one piece onto a massive barge for transportation to a suitable site for scrapping. Although the latter option will require considerable expertise and highly specialised equipment, it undoubtedly offers benefits in terms of speed and less risk of pollution.

By Jack Gaston