The Hoegh Osaka remains in danger today on the Bramble Bank, listing at a dangerous angle of 52 degrees.
The roll on / roll off vessel was deliberately grounded by the vessel’s pilot and master late on Saturday 3rd January after it departed the port of Southampton port bound for Bremerhaven, Germany. Their actions have been praised, with many saying that it took “great skill and seamanship” to make the decision to ground the vessel after it began listing 45 minutes after departure. This drastic maneuver has ensured that not only did the crew remained safe, the vessel along with it’s cargo, is (currently) free from danger. If the pilot and master did not make this decision, it is more than likely that the vessel would have sunk, causing major delays in the channel along with the loss of ship and cargo. Not to mention the endangering of the crew’s lives.
The cargo on board the Hoegh Osaka is high end – worth millions of dollars. It has been reported that there are about 1,400 vehicles on board, including 1,200 Jaguar and Land Rover first-class cars, 65 BMW Minis, and 105 JCB agricultural machines. There is also a Rolls Royce Wraith on board. Wikipedia tells us that this is what this amazing automobile looks like:
The fate of the vessel is now being put in the hands of salvage company, Svitzer, who will now work out the best way for a safe and successful salvage. This could take weeks, even months.
Head to this website for more details on this interesting story, but for now we will show you some cool photos of this190m long, 51,000 tonne vessel, lying silently on it’s side.
Have a look at drone footage of the Hoegh Osaka here.
