Divers are due to inspect the hull of the Panamanian-registered car-carrier, Asian Parade, in Dublin Port today after the 200-metre ship was successfully berthed in the Liffey yesterday.
The 55,000-tonne vessel with 1,700 cars on board was refloated on a rising tide on Saturday night, three days after it ran aground on the Codling Bank six miles east of Co Wicklow.
It was escorted to Dublin Port yesterday morning by five tugs, three hired by a salvage company, Smit-Wijs, and two owned by Dublin Port. It is being kept at berth by the three salvage vessels. A boom has also been placed around the ship as a precaution.
The Dublin Port harbour master, Capt Bob Wiltshire, was on board the vessel during the trip in, and paid tribute to the port pilots, Capt Dave Dignam and Capt Jim Kennedy, for expert navigation in difficult conditions, with Force 6 winds. All port activity was suspended during the transfer, which was supervised by the Coastguard and Marine Survey Office.
Although the Codling Bank is mainly shingle, there are fears that the double hull might have sustained some damage during continuous pounding in heavy weather, and divers for the salvors and Dublin Port will carry out a detailed survey.
The ship is believed to have been steaming at 19 knots when it hit the bank last Wednesday night, having left Dublin for Rotterdam. If passed as seaworthy, it will not be permitted to sail without the permission of the Korean shipping bureau and the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources.
The Codling is clearly marked, both with buoyage and on Admiralty charts, as a navigational hazard. It is one of a chain of shallow banks running about five miles offshore between Wicklow and Dublin Bay.
No injuries were reported among the crew, mainly of Korean nationality, and a full investigation is being carried out by the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources and by the State port authorities.
The pollution risk was reduced when most of the vessel's 154,000 gallons of intermediate fuel oil was pumped off on Friday under the supervision of the Coastguard and Marine Survey Office. The Naval Service patrol ship, LE Ciara, also maintained a presence, and assistance was provided by Wicklow tug Kilquade and Met Eireann.
The full cost of the incident has yet to be estimated, but it drew on extensive State rescue services, including the use of the Coastguard's Sikorsky helicopter in Dublin and a specialist aircraft to check there was no pollution risk. The salvage company hired by the agent, Interliner, is one of the world's largest.
The Minister for the Marine, Mr Fahey, paid tribute to all involved in the exercise in high winds and difficult sea conditions over a four-day period, and said he was delighted that a serious pollution risk had been averted.
