MV Suilven owner expected to give plans on removal from Suva Harbour

The owner of the sunken MV Suilven, Venu Shipping has been advised by Fiji Ports Corporation Limited to advise them of his plans to remove the sunken vessel from the Suva Harbour.

Fiji Ports Corporation Limited is expected to meet with the ship owner today.       

Permanent Secretary for Infrastructure and Transport, Francis Kean says the intent over the next 48 hours is to confirm and  secure the services of salvage experts to conduct an assessment of the sunken ship and to provide options to Government on the method of disposal.

Kean says the Suva Harbour Channel is safe for navigation and is well lit. 

Fiji Ports Chief Executive Officer Vajira Piyasena will now   spearhead the remainder of the operations.

A third dive conducted yesterday again revealed no oil leakage after divers enlarged the holes that were drilled earlier on Friday and Saturday last week into the settling and service tanks. 

The dive was to also confirm if the sunken ship has sunk any further down the slope she is currently resting on in Suva Harbour.

The divers have confirmed that the starboard side of the bow is now resting on a boulder with the stern protruding further away from the slope by approximately 5 to 7 metres.