Salvaging operations started Saturday for M/V Ever Transport III, the cargo ship grounded off the coast of Dumaguete City since December 2011 after tropical storm “Sendong”, Senior Chief Petty Officer Nelson Simbahon, commander of the Coast Guard Station in Dumaguete, said yesterday.

He said the M/V Hamako II of the Steel Ray Salvaging Corporation has started retrieving salvageable items from the ship.

The company had won the bidding to salvage the cargo ship but operations had been stalled because of incomplete requirements.

Simbahon said the operation will include the cutting of the ship’s bridge, and the retrieval of items inside it. Portions of the vessel will also be cut open so that salvage teams can access areas to ease the weight load.

If possible and as originally agreed on, the salvage company will try to refloat the vessel and tow it to a shipyard in Cebu, he added.

The Dumaguete Coast Guard has given Steel Ray until October 5 to finish the operation, otherwise it has to request for another extension from the PCG office in Manila, Simbahon said.

The vessel keeled over on its side December 17, 2011 when “Sendong” battered Dumaguete and other parts of Negros Oriental.

Thirty-seven crew members and passengers were rescued off the ship, that was carrying barrels of bunker fuel, oil and used oil, and was on its way to Mindanao.*JFP

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