Toxic gas halts salvage of grounded MSC Chitra in Mumbai

TOXIC gas leaks has stopped Geneva`s Mediterranean Shipping Co (MSC) unloading containers from the grounded 2,314-TEU MSC Chitra until the ship has been raised and the hold drained and ventilated.

"Gases have restricted container recovery, sometimes to one or two per day. The monsoon has passed there is often no wind to clear gases, and the crane barge has to be pulled away when gas levels were unsafe," said MSC in a notice to trade about salvage operations at the entrance of Mumbai`s channel, the site of a ship collision on August 7.


"With dry holds and drained containers a better success rate is hoped for to bring the remaining containers and cargo out. Container and recovery operations have now ceased until the vessel has been raised," said MSC.


MSC said conditions "continue to be very difficult with high levels of toxic gas from the cargo and now hydrogen sulphide from deteriorating cargo".


MSC said 314 containers have been recovered from the containership after its collision with the 33,113-ton bulker Khalijia 3, according to India`s Economic Times. Some 600 of the remaining containers are "proving difficult to unload. Therefore, it has decided to raise the vessel," the report said.


India`s shipping administration said the containers would be recovered after the vessel was raised. "It is to the credit of everyone involved that we could fast pace the efforts to such an extent that the ship will be lifted up in a few days," said an unnamed official.


In a notice to trade on November 16, MSC said 280 of the 314 salvaged containers have been landed while the remainder await customs clearance, reported American Shipper.


"Severe delays have been experienced landing the recovered containers ashore," MSC said. "This is due to a combination of customs delays, port congestion, and commercial issues arising because the damaged containers cannot be handled normally and each container requires significant berth time and space [sometimes up to 12 hours each].


"MSC has searched for and found some disused berths in the port area and has obtained permission to reactivate these to land damaged containers. This work has commenced but, in the meantime, the damaged containers are stored on barges," said the MSC statement.


The estimated 596 containers remaining on board (as of November 16) are fully submerged, with many damaged by monsoon seas and others deformed by the expansion of wet cargo from inside. That has made lifting them out in one piece difficult to impossible, MSC said.


"To have the best opportunity of recovering cargo the decision has been taken to raise the vessel with the remaining containers and cargo on board, during which operation the holds will be pumped out," the notice said.


"MSC is committed to doing business in India and has already expended tens of millions of dollars on this operation," said the company. "The circumstances continue to be difficult."


A list of containers salvaged and available for survey will be published and updated regularly on MSC surveyors` website. Login is "MSC" and the password is "containers".