Adverse conditions at sea prevented the planned fuel transfer from the stricken Cape Africa from going ahead at the weekend.
Heavy swells hampered efforts to pump fuel from the Taiwanese bulk carrier on Saturday and the bad weather continued on Sunday, Smit Salvage spokesperson David Main said.
It is hoped that fuel will be transferred to the Russian tug, the Nikolay Chiker, later on Monday. It is expected the tug will be able to carry about 1 000 tons of the Cape Africa's bunker fuel.
The weather forecast on Sunday afternoon predicted there would be calm seas on Monday and that these should last until Tuesday in the area where the Cape Africa is lying, about 120 nautical miles west of Cape Town.
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On Friday, about 30 tons of equipment needed for the transfer was lifted onto the Cape Africa from the Nikolay Chiker by helicopter.
Smit spokesperson Clare Gomes said the Nikolay Chiker, brought from Russia to assist in the salvage, had tried to hook up to the Cape Africa at the weekend on high seas, but "took a rope into her port propeller".
"(As) the high swell condition precluded pumping operations, it was decided to bring the Nikolay Chiker back to Cape Town to remove the rope. This has been done and she will leave Cape Town at midday."
Gomes said the Nikolay Chiker would rendezvous with the tug Smit Amandla and the SA Agulhas later on Monday.
The Cape Africa, built in 1991, is owned by a Taiwanese chipping company, U-Ming Marine Transportation Corporation.
It was on its way to the Far East with iron ore from Ponta da Madeira, Brazil, when it developed a hole 20 metres by five metres in the side of its hull in rough seas.
- This article was originally published on page 5 of Cape Times on May 10, 2004
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