Tuesday, 10 January 2012

Vale Beijing update at Ponta da Madeira

Some fresh news of ‘Vale Beijing’, the VLOC crippled by structural failure during her first loading at Ponta de Madeira in Brazil. The tanker ‘Sea Emperor’ is alongside and de-bunkering 5,000 tonnes of her 7,500 HFO bunkers. This appears to the AM to be a strategy to minimise bunkers and to reduce the bending stress in the hull. Bunkers are available in Gibraltar and Algeciras - just over half-way to Turkey.

Salvors Smit have rigged a temporary conveyor to enable a crane ship or barge to unload the aft No.7 Hold of ore and transfer to Holds 3 and 5, which are empty. No.6 Hold, where the failure occurred, is reported to be flooded.

‘Vale Beijing’ is reported to have two cracks in her hull under the waterline, each about 60cm in length by about 10cm in width. Temporary repairs are planned to enable her to sail to Turkey for dry-docking and permanent repairs.

With 45 followers now of this Blog - mainly from the Rena first person posts - the AM needs to be more than a 'one trick pony'. Hope there is enough to keep you all interested in my maritime world.


Vale Beijing and Sea Emperor at anchor, Sao Luis




Grab ready for the arrival of the crane ship


Transferring bunkers to Sea Emperor


Shot from the bridge of the conveyor for the cargo transfer to Holds 3 and 5



The Antipodean Mariner
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5 comments:

  1. Sea MacLeod10 January 2012 at 19:16

    Another MSC ship the Tycoon is in serious trouble at Christmas Island. Thank you for running such an informative blog, you've unknowingly given me some information and direction to assist me with joining the salvors at the Rena.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The Antipodean Mariner10 January 2012 at 20:30

    G'day Sea MacLeod, Tycoon is a small 'no name' ex-coaster owned by a Taiwanese shipping co and has no connection with Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC).

    AM

    ReplyDelete
  3. Buck11 January 2012 at 01:47

    Some of us 'follow' via RSS, and you may not be able to count us. Love all the maritime news you've been covering, and as a motorcycle rider (2003 ZRX-1200R) I even like your bike posts!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Docmortand11 January 2012 at 07:58

    No worries about boring us, AM. Just cover what you will, and let nature take it's course, so to speak.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Unknown21 August 2013 at 07:41

    Need a marine related job though I didn't study anything that has to do with marine but I study computer science.
    Anything to help with from you guys here?
    Thanks.

    ReplyDelete