Bye Bye Bulker

by Rob Kothe on 3 Jul 2007 It's the Pasha Bulker, called the Pasha Bulka or even the Pasher Bulker, no matter what, last night the familiar red oxide coloured 40,000 tonne coal carrier has left Nobby’s Beach in Newcastle.

Preparations had continued to all day after the ship had been swung seawards the previous night by the straining tugs.

The sea anchors were repositioned and then during the early evening she had been reballasted with sea water pumped into the lower forward compartments to lift her stern free of the rock shelf.

Last night at 21:37, at high tide, under the full moon, NSW Ports Minister Joe Tripodi had started a press conference at Fort Scratchly overlooking the Pasha Bulker salvage scene, when a television cameraman asked him to please step out of the shot, the ship was moving out to sea.

Cheering could be heard from salvage workers on the deck of the ship, as three tugs finally managed to drag the stranded ship free. Immediately the Critical response teams began looking for oil on the water surface, but it seemed if there was any oil being spilled from the vessel the quantity was minimal.

The ship was towed about half a mile off shore, she was rudderless and her propellors broken.

The residents of Newcastle are celebrating this morning following the successful refloating of the Pasha Bulker which had run aground on Nobbys Beach during the storms of June 8.

The Pasha Bulker is currently 11 nautical miles off Newcastle and is accompanied by the three salvage tugs, Pacific Responder, Keera and Woona.

Ports Minister Joe Tripodi commended the efforts of all involved giving credit to Newcastle Port Corporation, Svitzer Salvage and the Newcastle community.

'This outcome is the result of tremendous team work. The NSW Government recognises the expertise of the many individuals and organisations that have been involved,' Mr Tripodi said.

'More than 100 people worked around the clock during the past 25 days, led by Newcastle Port Corporation’s Incident Control Centre.

Newcastle Port Corporation CEO Gary Webb said that whilst the vessel was now at sea there still remained a significant amount of work to do before the salvage operation was completed.

'Our oil-pollution response teams, including the tug Shirley Smith, ground crews and aerial surveillance personnel, will continue to monitor the coastline and the area surrounding the vessel,' Mr Webb said.

'I am pleased to advise that ground surveillance undertaken since the Pasha Bulker was towed to sea has no evidence of oil.

'A team of salvage divers will today inspect the damage to the vessel and provide the salvage master with a full report, before any decision on her future is made.

'We thank the people of Newcastle for their patience and cooperation during the past few weeks.

'The NSW Police will assess the pedestrian and traffic management plan this morning. The air exclusion zone will be lifted today, however the water exclusion zone off Nobbys Beach remains in place until further notice to allow the retrieval of sea anchors and associated equipment, and also inspection of the seabed,' he said.

Member for Newcastle, Jodi McKay, thanked the people of her electorate for their patience, cooperation and goodwill.