Boxship could stay grounded for weeks

The Panamanian ro-ro container ship Rokia Delmas, aground since Tuesday off the Ile de Ré on the French Atlantic Coast after a power blackout, is likely to remain aground for several weeks, according to the Atlantic Prefecture.
Yesterday, the local authorities decided to cancel the intend refloating attempt after divers reported a 20m-long crack in the Rokia’s hull. "The hull has already suffered a lot so it is unwise to tow it at this stage, and in any case towing a vessel with such a crack would cause its immediate sinking", explained a spokesman from the prefecture. Priority is now given to pumping off the vessel’s 560t of bunker fuel. Pumping operations are due to start tomorrow after the authorities have installed a floating anti-pollution barrier around the ship. The prefecture reported that at present there is no pollution, but the risk of pollution during pumping operations could not be entirely excluded. Meanwhile, the French state has now ordered CMA CGM, the owner of the ship’s operator, Delmas, to take all appropriate steps to preserve the environment from possible pollution. Apart from its bunkers, the Rokia Delmas is reported to be carrying only harmless cargo, including empty containers, timber, cocoa, rubber and steel.