Grounded cement carrier refloated off Salalah

Muscat, MAY 25 - Singapore-based salvage firm Resolve Marine Group has announced the successful refloating and safe disposal of the bulk cement carrier MV Raysut II which had run aground off Salalah in adverse weather conditions a year ago. The bulk carrier, owned by Raysut Cement, had “lost headway and steerage” in rough weather before running aground off Al Fazayah, a scenic beachfront stretch along Salalah. “The grounding was devastating to the tourist community and locals as the 5 kilometre-long stunning landscape is home to five of the world’s seven species of sea turtles, four of which nest there — the green turtle, the hawksbill, the loggerhead, and the Olive Ridley. All of Oman’s turtles have been classified as endangered with the loggerhead turtle facing extinction. Resolve’s goal was to protect the environment and avoid disturbance of the beaches during turtle nesting season,” the salvage firm said in a statement. Initial attempts to refloat the vessel, which was laden with around 6,750 metric tonnes of dry cement at the time, proved unsuccessful, following which the services of Singapore-based Resolve were tapped. The latter was awarded a contract for the removal and disposal of the vessel and its cargo last November.  Following a complex operation, the Rayut-II was successfully refloated in February this year and towed to Salalah Port. Part of the dry cement was discharged into road tankers while the solidified portion of the cargo was removed at well. The vessel has since been recycled, according to Resolve.