Scuttled

On August 19th 2013, the Capesize bulk carrier 'Smart' ran aground departing Richards Bay, South Africa, with a full cargo of coal. It's been reported that there was a heavy swell running at the time, and that 'Smart's stern hit the seabed in the swell trough. After grounding, she drifted out of the channel, stranded and broke in two. If you open up the first photo to full screen, the lower part of the rudder has sheared off - whether from the grounding for afterwards.

If the grounding is attributed to touching bottom in the heavy swell, it bears a remarkable resemblance to the grounding and successful salvage of the 'Jody F Millennium' in Gisborne, New Zealand.

'Smart's stern was 'cleansed' of bunkers, lubricants (and hopefully the crew's personal possessions) and was successfully towed into deep water were she was scuttled. Maritime blog gCaptain carries the story and photo sequence from the salvors, Subtech Group, for which the AM attribute the sequence below.

M/v 'Smart' was an elderly Capesize, built 1996 at Mitsui Shipbuilding in Japan. Salvors continue to work on the forward section (Holds 1-6).

 

 

 

 

 

The Antipodean Mariner