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Heavy-lift crane barge "Hua Tian Long" of the Guangzhou Salvage Bureau arrived in Hong Kong today (April 16) to carry out salvage work to remove the wreck of the Ukrainian oilfield support vessel which sank east of Brothers Island on March 22.
To ensure safe salvage operations, a Marine Department (MD) Notice was issued today to declare the vicinity of the work site a restricted area.
A spokesman for the MD said, "Notice is given that with immediate effect and for the period of the salvage operation, no vessel, except vessels directly involved in the salvage work and other authorised vessels, will be allowed to enter into or remain within the work area.
"Vessels navigating in the vicinity should keep well clear of the area and proceed with extreme caution at slow speed, bearing in mind that there are divers working in the area."
Special traffic control arrangements will be implemented and marine launches will be deployed to guide traffic in the area.
"The work site is designated a restricted area to minimise the risk to salvage workers and to avoid any congestion to passing marine traffic. During the salvage operations, measures will be taken to ensure no oil spillage from the wreck," the spokesman stressed.
"Hua Tian Long" is tasked to make upright, then lift up the sunken vessel. A search for missing crew in the wreck will be carried out after the wreck is lifted out of the water.
The operations will continue round-the-clock and involve salvage barges, tug boats and work boats. Diving operations will be carried out from time to time. The whole salvage operation is expected to complete by the end of April.
Ends/Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Issued at HKT 16:16
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