The dredger that overturned at Barra da Armona on January 16th was returned to its correct position this morning and is currently under water. The operation did not cause "any spillage of polluting material into the sea", assured commander Nunes Ferreira, captain of the Port of Olhão, who is supervising the work.
The specialized team that was hired by the shipowner to rescue the dredger had already tried to return the vessel to the correct position, so that it would be possible to proceed with the refloating, the only way to take it safely to the Port of Olhão.
After a few unsuccessful attempts, work had to be suspended due to bad weather. The operation resumed a few days ago.
Today, the goal was achieved. “We took advantage of the tide to turn the dredge. With previous attempts, we gained knowledge and this time we were successful», revealed Nunes Ferreira, whose team has been supporting the work of removing the overturned boat.
The captain of the Port of Olhão highlighted the fact that there was no leakage of polluting material, which “means that the hull was well sealed”.
At the moment, there is still no defined date for the refloating operation, but the men who are in the field are already preparing this action. “We are evaluating the condition of the hull, so that we can get the dredge back afloat. For that, we are going to use balloons and introduce air in the basement», he added.
Until the moment when the vessel is safe, in Porto, «the restrictions on navigation are maintained», said, also, the commander Nunes Ferreira.
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