GOVERNMENT INFORMED BY ARIHANT THE PRINCESS REMOVAL PROCESS

PANJIM: The management of ship breaking firm M/s Arihant Ship Breakers, which has been selected for award of contract for removing the River Princess, has informed the government that it would cut the River Princess above the water line by gas cutting process and thereafter use the services of divers for underwater cutting of the vessel and remove the structure and equipment as part of its methodology for removal of the grounded vessel.

The firm has also informed the government that when they reach above the tank top they would cut/drill holes in the tank top to loosen the mud settled inside the tanks. Following that, the mud would be dissolved with water mixed with chemical and thereafter the same will be removed with the help of mud pump of adequate capacity.

The ship breakers have also informed that after removing the mud to the extent possible, the dredging or loosening of the sea bed around the vessel would be undertaken to release the sunken portion of the vessel from the sea bed and thereafter the vessel will be lifted or cut in that position.

The Arihant management has also informed the government that the material cut would be shifted to the designated location nominated by the government for safe custody and disposal as per the government guidelines. It has also stated that it would move trained manpower from ship breakers yard at Alang Bhavnagar along with equipment to handle the cutting job and removal of material.

The company has earlier handled such jobs, said sources in the Goa State Disaster Management Authority adding that it has cut and removed Ocean Seraya, which was a 73,625-tonne dead weight vessel and a much bigger ship than River Princess, which has a dead weight of 30,000 tonnes. It has also been involved in cutting of two other large ships, MV Zhen Don and TT President Washington. Meanwhile, the letter awarding the work to the firm would be sent to the management in about 2-3 days after which the government would sign the contract with the firm and obtain a bank guarantee of Rs 10 crore as performance guarantee. (NT)