Asian Forest Owners Sign Deal to Remove Sunken Ship

Asian Forest Owners Sign Deal to Remove Sunken Ship

28 October 2009

The owners of Asian Forest, a vessel loaded with oil that had sunk near the Mangalore coastline a few months back, have signed a deal with Smit Salvage in order to remove the wreck. Smit Salvage will prevent the ship and its contents from polluting Mangalore’s marine environment by plugging leaks and removing the oil from the sunken ship.

Olivia Murray and Christian Dwyer of the Ince and Co International Law Firm, who represent the ship’s owners, said in an email to the Times of India that they hoped the weather would permit them to salvage the ship. They claimed that the monsoons hardly permit a task of this nature. They also claimed that, despite the difficulties posed by the monsoons, the owners of Asian Forest had done everything in their power to prevent environment pollution owing to the contents of the ship. They had employed a local vessel to watch the site ever since the ship sank, liaised with the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships and agreed to pay for the installation of a cardinal-marker buoy, and employed local drivers to watch the spot and wait for favorable weather conditions for the salvage of the ship.

Last Friday, Principal Officer of Mercantile Marine Department of Kochi region M P John had lodged a complaint with the Panambur Police regarding the ship. Mr. John says that, despite repeated notices to the ship’s owners to remove oil from the sunken ship, plug leaks, and mark the area in order to ensure the safety of vessels operating in that area, they had not responded favorably.