Wellington’s harbour channel will be closed to all traffic as stricken 66,000-tonne vessel the Shiling is towed back to the capital this week on a route that will take of past a shallow bank it nearly hit.
Wellington harbourmaster Grant Nalder confirmed plans were underway to return the 294-metre vessel from Tasman Bay at the top of the South Island to Wellington mid-way through the coming week.
Wednesday was the most likely day for the vessel to be towed across in an operation expected to take about 24 hours.
Safety reasons meant all other shipping would be stopped as the Shiling and tow vessel Skandi Emerald made their way down the channel of Wellington Harbour, Nalder said.
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The Singaporean-flagged Shiling has already spent weeks in Wellington after losing power as it was leaving the capital in mid-April. The powerless ship drifted over the shallow Falcon Shoals near the harbour heads and could have easily hit the sea floor in a lower tide.
Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter
The container ship Shiling photographed by Carl Babe a crew member of the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter. The ship lost engine power and was a drift of Farewell Spit, South Island.
It was taken back to port in Wellington and Maritime NZ detained it in the capital.
It was in mid-May given permission to leave but under strict orders to go directly to Singapore for repairs.
However, after leaving Wellington it hit 8-metre swells off the top of the Marlborough Sounds and, with very little cargo on board, got thrashed around in the waves and the captain took shelter.
The next day it was finally on its way to Singapore – on a route that would take it near Australia’s Great Barrier Reef – but it then had the breakdown and a mayday was issued triggering an emergency response by air and sea.
The ship, with no power or steering, was rescued by the Skandi Emerald – a ship with the ability to haul stricken vessels in open water that raced across from Taranaki where it was contracted to the oil industry.
The Shiling and Skandi Emerald made their way to Tasman Bay while plans were put in place to bring it to dock, with Wellington eventually decided on.