Monsoon halts shipwreck salvage operations off Mangaluru coast

Mangaluru: The salvage operations of two shipwrecks off the coast in the Arabian Sea have been brought to a halt due to the onset of the monsoon season. With the sea beginning to swell and intensify, salvage efforts have become impossible, forcing the contractor companies to suspend their operations temporarily.

One of the shipwrecks, the dredger Bhagwati Prem, started taking in water in 2019 while carrying out dredging activities at the Navamangaluru port. It had run aground near Suratkal beach. New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) had promised to relocate the vessel, but later, it was decided to dispose of the ship.

The salvage work by Sonar Impex, the contracted company, had been underway for the past four months. While significant progress has been made in dismantling and removing various parts of the vessel, there are still several sections that require clearing.

However, due to the turbulent sea conditions caused by the monsoon, the district administration has instructed the evacuation to be suspended temporarily.

Similarly, the second shipwreck, Princess Miral, had beached off the Battappadi shore on June 21, 2021. The vessel, which posed a threat to boats operating in the area, had been in the process of being cleared by Bansal Endeavors since January.

The extraction of oil from the ship had been successful, with 160 tons recovered out of the total 220 tons onboard. Additionally, there remains an 8,000-ton steel coil that needs to be dealt with. However, the further clearance of the ship will be deferred until the conclusion of the monsoon season to ensure the safety of the salvage teams.