Monique Ford/Stuff
Shiling container ship under tow in Cook Strait passing Wellington airport
Beleaguered MV Shiling is nearing the Wellington Harbour entrance after being towed into Wellington on a sea “like glass”.
It’s expected Shilng will meet up with two harbour tugboats, Tiaka and Tapuhi, and a pilot boat, Te Haa, about 11am on Tuesday morning.
The Shiling and the ocean-going tug, Skandi Emerald, are still in Cook Strait but are rounding up towards the heads.
“So they are just lining up for the approach to the harbour,” said Wellington’s harbourmaster Grant Nalder who is watching the ship’s approach from a vantage point on Beacon Hill.
“Wellington’s turned on a good day for it.”
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He expects the container ship to be in the inner harbour by about 12.30pm
The container ship had to send out a mayday on May 12 after it broke down on its way to Singapore. The Skandi Emerald tug, which was in Taranaki working for the petrochemical industry, towed the Shiling to safety in Tasman Bay.
Nalder earlier said the conditions could not be better for the ship to be towed into the harbour on a sea that was “like glass”.
While it was less than ideal to be towing an almost-300m ship into the harbour not under its own power, everything was otherwise perfect with good conditions, the right crew and the right gear, Nalder said.
Supplied
22052023. NEWS. PHOTO supplied Wellington’s harbour tugs on way to meeting Shiling which is being towed into Wellington harbour.
Incident controller David Billington said in a statement on Monday that the top priority was ensuring the operation was undertaken as safely as possible.
The tow started in Tasman Bay about 10.30am on Monday.
“The crew of the Skandi Emerald is very experienced in managing tows in a range of conditions, including what could be experienced in the Cook Strait.
“Weather conditions are reasonably stable for the journey too,” Billlington said.
Shiling’s crew remain on board the vessel.
Mike White/Stuff
MV Shiling being towed past Wellington’s south coast on Tuesday
A 500-metre exclusion zone has been put in place around the towage operation for the duration of the journey to Wellington.
“The exclusion zone is in there for a reason, and it is to keep both the towage operation and other people safe,” Billington said.
Since the mayday call on May 12, both vessels have been in Tasman Bay north of Nelson.
The Shiling was on its way back to Singapore for extensive repairs after an earlier breakdown at the mouth of Wellington Harbour. After that earlier breakdown, it was kept in port in Wellington for just over three weeks for repairs.
Maritime NZ has said the cost of the tow will be covered by the ship’s owner and insurer.
MV Shiling being taken under tow by the ocean-going tug, Skandi Emerald, which came to the stricken container ship. Video taken by Lottie McCloy from FV Crusader.