$4.2m to move Pasha Bulker 5m

Author: CLEMENTIA CUNEO Source: THE DAILY TELEGRAPHTHREE weeks after it beached in savage storms, and having already cost $4.2 million, the stricken carrier Pasha Bulker is just five metres closer to returning to sea.

Industry sources estimate it is costing more than $200,000 for each day it stays stranded, which means those five metres have cost the Pasha Bulker’s Japanese owners Fukujin Kisen, or at least its insurance company, $4.2m – or $840,000 a metre.

As the salvage bill rises ahead of another attempt tonight, the plight of the Pasha Bulker is also creating an economic boom – for Newcastle’s tourism and business operators.

The ship is continuing to be an unlikely tourism attraction with crowds of locals and visitors flocking to Nobbys Beach yesterday, a day after a first refloat bid was abandoned when cables attached to one of three tugs snapped in heavy seas, high winds and sheeting rain.

A second attempt at refloating the vessel, planned for last night, was abandoned yesterday after a cable to salvage tug Pacific Responder failed.

Within 30 minutes of that break, one of three sea anchors also broke free, leaving two sea anchors and one tug to hold the bulkship as it was thrown about in the heavy surf.

Soon after, the salvage crew decided to abort last night’s attempt and ordered the ship’s ballast tanks be filled with water once more to stabilise it in the surf.

The ballast will be pumped out again before any attempt to refloat the ship, with the massive task being undertaken by the Dutch marine salvage company Svitzer Salvage.

Salvage crews instead used the day to focus on repairing the links and plan another attempt on tonight’s 1.9m high tide, due at 8.13pm.

Ports Minister Joe Tripodi said the ship had moved nine degrees since Thursday night’s refloat attempt and, despite the snapped cables, had not slipped back to its original grounding.

Gale force winds are forecast for coastal areas around Newcastle today but authorities remain optimistic the operation will proceed as planned.

The few extra days between refloat attempts means big things economically for the city.

Some business owners even welcomed the stricken ship long-term.

"The wave of tourism has been incredible, I’ve had to put on extra staff to cope with the crowds that come in," Last Drop Cafe owner Monique Lee said.

"I’d be happy if they left it there as a permanent tourist attraction."

Newcastle City Council tourism manager Shawn Day said the economic benefits had been "huge".

He said they are mostly being felt most by cafe and restaurant owners but spill over to accommodation and other attractions.

"Businesses in the east end of the city and the foreshore are certainly doing very nicely, thank you very much," Mr Day said.

"The ship has had a dramatic impact on day-trippers to Newcastle. You can see that by the gridlock in the streets," he said.

Noah’s on the Beach Hotel business manager Deb MacKenzie said business had been "excellent" as a result of the Pasha but not just from tourists.

"We have a lot of the salvage crews and workers staying here," she said.

An exclusion zone enforced by police kept traffic away from the beachfront but didn’t stop pedestrians walking great distances for a look.

"We had to park a good 3km away but we don’t mind – the kids were keen to have another look," resident Darren Roberts said.

Posted by Admin on June 30th, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
Posted under: Pasha Bulker