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Clean up after cargo loss continued

Specialised boats and machinery were trying to extract the vast quantities of raw plastic pellets floating in the Durban harbour following a cargo spill by the "MSC Susanna" more than three weeks ago. Teams of workers have been deployed along a 200km stretch of the KwaZulu-Natal coastline to sieve the sand by hand in search of nurdles" that have been washing up on beaches over the past two weeks. Two 12-m-containers fell off the vessel into port waters during the severe storm which wreaked havoc in Durban on OCt 10. They each contained 990 bags of low and high density polyethylene (plastic pellets) packed in 25kg bags. The total tonnage lost is estimated to be 49 tons. The containers, were subsequently located on the seabed and retrieved, but by then the bags had already leaked millions of nurdles that were now polluting the East Coast. MSC has taken over the clean-up of the harbour in recent days in order to expedite the process. MSC was grateful to the members of the public who acted as first responders and helped with the initial stages of the clean-up, before the owner of the cargo of plastic pellets, the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (Sabic) appointed a specialist company, Drizit Environmental, to clean 200 km of beaches. MSC engaged the Resolve Marine Group, and continued to co-operate with Transnet National Ports Authority and all the parties involved in the clean-up. Report with photo: https://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/shipping-company-cleaning-up-durban-cargo-spill-20171105

Repair works in Durban after storm wreaked havoc

After the storm was over, tugs of TNPA were able to secure the release of "MSC Ines" from the entrance channel without any reported spillage taking place. The container ship, however, appeared to have suffered serious rudder damage which will require repair before she can resume her voyage. On Oct 15 she was berthed at the City Terminal. More lucky was the tanker "Bow Triumph" whic grounded in the enclosed bay known as Island View after having broken from her moorings and being blown the short distance ashore on the sands off Salisbury Island. Fortunately the ship grunded on soft sand, and no breaches of the hull occurred. Also the "MSC Susanna" was taken to the City Terminal and berthed on the T-Jetty for underwater examination. After she had broken free of her moorings she came into contact with other vessels before the tugs got control. After the inspection the ship returned to the container terminal berth 108/9 where she was working cargo on Oct 15. The "SM New York", which had broken her moorings and went aground on a nearby sandbank where she stuck fast, completed her cargo working and has sailed on Oct 14, bound to Port Elizabeth, arriving off the port on Oct 15. At Island View the "Bow Triumph" was also working cargo, next being bound to Fujairah. Other ships which appeared to have received damage included the "Maersk Vallvik" which was currently at C berth at the Ro-Ro and MPT Terminal, and the French Navy frigate "Floreal" which was forced to delay the scheduled departure from port. The ship has suffered some severe denting along her starboard hull with slight denting or paint marks alongside the portside hull. With all navigable areas of Durban Bay having been surveyed and declared safe for navigation, shipping activity in the Port of Durban was able to return to normal on Oct 13, three days after one of the worst storms ever to hit Durban brought almost all outside activity to a halt. That they did so to a large extent successfully was to the credit of the marine staff at Transnet National Ports Authority. The marine crews comprising pilots and tug captains and crew at the port were meanwhile were praised for the professional and competent way in which they reacted to and handled an unexpected and highly unusual weather condition and emergency. The storm broke in mid-morning with sudden ferocity, bringing visibility to almost nil. Winds gusted to a measured 91 knots and between 100 and 200mm of rain in less than two hours fell across the southern parts of the city including the port. Parts of the quayside also took damage. Several premises suffered flood damage – one of these was Transnet School of Excellence which is situated near to Durban Container Terminal on Pier 2. Some cargo handling equipment belonging to TPT suffered damage at the DCT Pier 1 and Pier 2 terminals and damage to key cargo handling infrastructure were reported from the Bulk, Break-bulk and Car Durban Terminals. A total of eight Ship-to-Shore cranes and three RTGs - rubber tyre gantries - were damaged. Several containers were reported washed into the bay.

Storm wreaked havoc in Durban

In a massive storm with gale force winds between 70 and 90km per hour which started on Oct 10, 2017, around 9 a.m. the container ship "SM New York" ran aground in Durban shortly after unmooring and was attended by the "Smit Siyanda" (IMO: 9479709), and the container ships "MSC Ines" and "MSC Susanna", which both had been about to leave port, were blown away by storm gusts. The "MSC Ines" also ran aground, getting stuck perpendicular to the access channel, and timewise blocked the port. She was pulled to the Coal Terminal at 5 p.m. by the tugs "Lotheni" (MMSI: 601135800), Siyakhula" (IMO: 9501409) and "Umbilo" (MMSI: 601124000). The "MSC Susanna" was taken in tow by four tugs and taken back to the Ro-Ro and MPT Terminal at 1.15 p.m. The tanker "Bow Triumph" ran aground after broking off moorings. The bulkcarrier "Maritime Newanda" (IMO: 9302798) broke off from her moorings at the Maydon Wharf. The vessel immediately alerted the Port Authority and pilots and tugs were promptly dispatched to get the ship safely alongside the quay again. All vessel movements had been suspended in the Port of Durban due to inclement weather.The inclement weather also disrupted operations at the Port of Richards Bay. Transnet’s marine services team and tugs were assisting with several emergencies. A man was killed after a 40-foot-container was blown over and landed on top of his car near the Durban port. One man, who was approximately 30-years-old, sustained relatively minor injuries but was trapped inside the car when the roof collapsed under the weight of the container. He was in a stable condition and was transported by ambulance to hospital for further assessment and care. The second occupant, believed to be in his forties, sustained severe injuries and died at the scene. Several other large and heavy stacked containers in different areas were also blown over by the strong winds. Yachts and boats in the small craft harbour and at the Point Yacht Club (PYC) have broken from their moorings. NSRI Durban rescue crews are at PYC assisting to corral boats and yachts adrift in the port. Reports with photos and video: http://www.702.co.za/articles/275774/watch-cargo-ship-runs-aground-amid-durbanstorm http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/live-massive-storm-hits-durban-causes-flooding-chaos-20171010 https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2017-10-10-wind-blows-ship-across-harbour-mouth-in-durban/ https://www.talkofthetown.co.za/2017/10/10/wind-blows-ship-across-harbour-mouth-durban/