BELLE ROSE

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Final amount for the grounding damage at the Monad Shoal still being assessed

Although the owner of the "Belle Rose" has guaranteed a maximum payment of US$ 1.5 million to pay for damages caused when the vessel ran aground in Monad Shoal off Malapascua Island, it was still not the final amount. The Cebu Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (Penro) legal officer Ahmad Clay Escolar said the final amount to be paid by the ship owner for the damage and rehabilitation of the affected area in Monad Shoal was still being assessed by different stakeholders. Escolar hoped to finalize soon the amount as well as the comprehensive rehabilitation plan of the damaged shoal and the signing of the compromise agreement between the ship’s owner, Crest Ocean Traders SA, and the provincial government. The offer of US$1.5 million was stated in the letter of guarantee that the shipping company submitted to the provincial government. The compensation would be paid by Crest Ocean’s insurance provider. At least a hectare of coral reefs was affected when the Panamanian-registered bulk carrier ran aground in the waters off Monad Shoal, an underwater island that serves as cleaning stations of thresher sharks, at dawn of June 12 while trying to avoid hitting fishermen on board a small boat. Once the payment has been made, it was planned to put up fish habitat enhancement devices in different areas within and outside of Monad Shoal to ensure that fishes and other marine animals, especially those that clean thresher sharks, would continue to thrive in the area. Thresher sharks are the main attraction for divers who frequent the dive spots of Malapascua Island, including that in Monad Shoal and around the coastal town of Daanbantayan that has jurisdiction over Malapascua. The devices would be set up outside of Monad Shoal’s protected area to ensure that small-scale fishers, who have also been affected by the incident, could still continue to fish. Once a comprehensive rehabilitation program is completed, it will have to be approved by the Cebu Provincial Board, which will also need to authorize Gov. Hilario Davide III to sign the compromise agreement with the ship owner on behalf of the provincial government. The "Belle Rose" docked at the Keppel Subic Shipyard on July 6.

Belle Rose in deep water

The “Belle Rose” was refloated off Malapascua Island, Daanbantayan town in Cebu, d past 10 a.m. on June 20, after two days of slowly pulling it back to deeper waters,, by the Malayan Towage and Salvaging Corp. The bulkcarrier was floating on waters with a depth of 100 to 200 meters after tugs wree able to pull it almost 100 meters. The salvor company deployed three tugboats in pulling the vessel, which ran aground in Monad Shoal while enroute to San Fernando town, southern Cebu. Aside from pulling back the vessel, they also discharged water from the forward section to lighten the vessel. The initial plan was to discharge 500 tons of water. Reports with photos and video: http://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/96003/mv-belle-rose-moved-backward http://www.maritime-executive.com/article/operation-to-refloat-belle-rose-under-way

Salvage attempt at grounded bulkcarrier

Three tugs were used to pull the "Belle Rose" out of a shoal where it ran aground. Two pulled the ship while the third was at the rear end of the cargo ship to maintain balance. The salvage attempt started on June 17 around 9 a.m. during high tide but was suspended around 10:30 a.m. in order to discharge at least 500 tons of water from the ship to make it rise by at least 10 centimeters. Salvage workers used a hose to siphon off the water from the vessel because the ship’s ballast pump had been damaged and was no longer working. The tugs of Malayan Towage and Salvaging Corp. managed to pull the casualty a bit further seawards on June 18. Report with photo: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/791321/operations-start-to-remove-ship-from-coral-area#ixzz4BxT5AiQA http://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/95935/mv-belle-rose-moved-slightly-away-from-shoal http://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/95925/salvors-to-refloat-mv-belle-rose-today