Hey Sam, can you sign me up for the Cynic Club.
Like you i just cant see how the thing can be towed out.
I've been on board numerous times, the latest in December and the erosion is unbelievable. Handrails, staircases just crumble so surely the state of the main structure is severly affected. How they will find any place fit to tie towing cables capable of withstanding 30,000 tons plus is beyond me. Oh and forget all the cock and bull stories about engines/prop being stolen, that the Goan authorities always comment on, the thing is a floating bathtub. Just like the rest of those on the horizon the Princess is long past it's sell by date and are purely used for storage.
The only things onboard that are kept in a state of repair are generators to provide power for cranes and winches.
The barges bring out the iron ore, offload onto the ships till an ocean going one comes alongside removes the load and of it goes, saving on port fees and turnaround time.
So the only fate now is for the Princess to be towed out and scuttled, Ha!!
Enter once again Salgoacar Mining the owners of the Princess.
Their argument has always been that since the removal was taken away from them they require the scrap value on the ship but if it was scuttled then only insurance would be paid and that apparently is a pittance in comparison. So that brings us back to mine and your point of view, that when they finally play the trump card it will be cut up where it stands and the pot shared out.
On board the Princess i was talking to an english chap who was second in command of the salvage crew and all my enquiries were met with a shrug of the shoulders and "Who knows, this is India"
I really do fear for the near future of north Goa if the cut up scenario takes place, let's hope they can actually drag this beast to its final resting place.................and good ridance.......Rust In Peace.
The lads at the shack we were in last week were saying that the plan is to tow it North to Gujarat.
Given what Eddie has just said, it seems impossible that the RP would be seaworthy enough for that to happen.
Polly
PS Lez - Hah - a dredger is it? You see, because it's not encrusted with diamonds, emeralds or other precious stones, it's not in my vocabulary!
Given what Eddie has just said, it seems impossible that the RP would be seaworthy enough for that to happen.
Polly
PS Lez - Hah - a dredger is it? You see, because it's not encrusted with diamonds, emeralds or other precious stones, it's not in my vocabulary!
If they can get it to float it is due to be towed to the Zuari river upstream of Vasco and scrapped.
The big question is can they get it to float, if so it will only take a small tug (1000hp) to tow it the 30 miles.
If they can't get it free before the monsoon I would expect them to cut another hole near the bow. The bow will probably be floating at high tide at the moment but the stern has 2-4 metres of sand around it.
The reason for cutting holes in the bow is to stop it swinging broadside to the waves during the monsoon. If it does this it could roll over & then it's a cut up job.
I know this year there has been a lot of work, but the dredger they are using is only moving 100-200 tons of sand a day at most. When the sea is rough this amount will come back after every high tide.
It will be interesting to see what the Taj group does as now their sea defences have been washed away their Hotel & restaurant will have major problems during the monsoon. They have probably got enough clout to force the Minister to ensure the boat is moved or cut up quickly.
The big question is can they get it to float, if so it will only take a small tug (1000hp) to tow it the 30 miles.
If they can't get it free before the monsoon I would expect them to cut another hole near the bow. The bow will probably be floating at high tide at the moment but the stern has 2-4 metres of sand around it.
The reason for cutting holes in the bow is to stop it swinging broadside to the waves during the monsoon. If it does this it could roll over & then it's a cut up job.
I know this year there has been a lot of work, but the dredger they are using is only moving 100-200 tons of sand a day at most. When the sea is rough this amount will come back after every high tide.
It will be interesting to see what the Taj group does as now their sea defences have been washed away their Hotel & restaurant will have major problems during the monsoon. They have probably got enough clout to force the Minister to ensure the boat is moved or cut up quickly.
so from what im reading it turns out that the ship wasnt full of cargo when it was washed up it was being used as a storage vessel what further up the coast for ironore, is this correct,steve.
Yes it was one of the ships you can see on the horizon.
They are permanently anchored and act as floating ore stations. Most are well past their sell by dates and would not get insurance to carry cargo.
The small river barges bring the iron ore down the Mandovi & Zuari rivers, these off load to these hulks. Then other bulk carriers transport the ore to the refineries.
The main reason it is done this way is to save port charges in Vasco.
As these ships are in international waters the Indian government has no control over insurance they carry.
Another boat broke its anchors in June 1994 ( The MV Sea Transporter) and came ashore near the Taj fort. I am not sure how long this one took to remove.
They are permanently anchored and act as floating ore stations. Most are well past their sell by dates and would not get insurance to carry cargo.
The small river barges bring the iron ore down the Mandovi & Zuari rivers, these off load to these hulks. Then other bulk carriers transport the ore to the refineries.
The main reason it is done this way is to save port charges in Vasco.
As these ships are in international waters the Indian government has no control over insurance they carry.
Another boat broke its anchors in June 1994 ( The MV Sea Transporter) and came ashore near the Taj fort. I am not sure how long this one took to remove.
What I have read is that she was in ballast and lost her power and was blown onto the beach in the monsoon and abandoned. (fill in your own ideas why)
Iron ore, I doubt very much would be handled twice a ship that size without her own cranes would take a long long time to load and unload at sea, port fees are not that much and would be included in the charter fees, I know the owner and charter are one and the same but that's how business works a bit complicated the tax issues etc.
As for pulling her off the beach, if they can get the ballast and the water and sand that was let in out then they have a very slight chance of her floating and getting a tow on her, but I doubt it.
Lez
Iron ore, I doubt very much would be handled twice a ship that size without her own cranes would take a long long time to load and unload at sea, port fees are not that much and would be included in the charter fees, I know the owner and charter are one and the same but that's how business works a bit complicated the tax issues etc.
As for pulling her off the beach, if they can get the ballast and the water and sand that was let in out then they have a very slight chance of her floating and getting a tow on her, but I doubt it.
Lez
My understanding is she was in ballast awaiting loading. if you go out to the waiting ships there is a couple that have been adapted as loaders with grabs, cranes conveyers etc, their job is that the ore barges anchor alongside them, and tied up on the other side, is bulkers such as the Princess, which have no cranes on board, and the mother loader simply transfers from the barge across to the bulker, and no storage ships are in use, as it would be a useless exercise as Lez points out. As far as the earlier grounding, I was told that the charterer of that ship and the Captain of the Princess were one and the same and as the Princess was within a few months of her 20 year survey which is when she would have been scrapped, there was some suspicions of an insurance fiddle, but whether this is true or not I could'nt say. Alan
You see, because it's not encrusted with diamonds, emeralds or other precious stones, it's not in my vocabulary!
Ha ha Polly!!! A girl after my own heart!!
Hi called down Candolim yesterday. plenty of activity on the River Princess, Pumping out continuing, plenty of banging and compressor type noises, bow appears to be high in the water.
just got back on sunday,didn,t see much work being done on river princess,but we were told there is an election coming up and everyone is making promises as to what they will do if elected!Meanwhile work on taking down Baga bridge is really progressing.most of it is down,have never seen it so busy,people watching work in progress also people walking,taxi drivers not happy as there is only a tempory bridge closed to cars.Had a great time as we knew we would,but it was spoilt abit coming home as our flight (monarch)was delayed 4hrs so we missed our flight back to IOM had to have an overnight stay in manchester pay for 2 new flights and then they charged £12 to put our cases on,the 1st flight was for 12.50 on sunday which was then delayed for 2 hrs in the end it was 19hrs from manchester to IOM,we were given the chance to buy tea or coffee,considering it had cost us the best part of £300 to get home that just added insult to injury also our insurence say we have no claim and monarch won,t cough up niether.I do'nt think we'll go from manchester again we don't seem to have any trouble when we've gone from Gatwick all said it won't stop us goan back.planning already!!
just back on the 23rd.seen lots of activity, while sunbathing at siqurem.3 boat loads of men with cases went to the ship about 50 in all,2 hrs later lots of sunbed mattresses also went loads of smoke and water pumping going on also.hubbys going back to goa at the end of april ,who knows he may just see it go 
loads of smoke and water pumping going on also.hubbys going back to goa at the end of april ,who knows he may just see it go
Sounds like it's being converted into a cruise liner 
They were most likely the gangs to shovel the thousands of tons of sand inside her, from the waterline holes that was cut in her previously, to stabilise her. They will likety shovel it under the hatch openings so the crane grabs can get at it more easily. It's beginning to look as if this company is giving it a real shot this time, mabey she will be gone before the monsoon after all Alan
I left on 17th march and for a week or so before they had set up some sort of conveyor system inside to move out the sand, there was a fresh hole near the stern on the starboard side and large quantities of sand were being dumped out at a fast rate,perhaps these guys have been installed to dig extra out from the inaccesable areas?
does anyone have a new or confirmed date for the towing off/ pulling apart ceremony!
does anyone have a new or confirmed date for the towing off/ pulling apart ceremony!
Hi all , just to let you know (to those that are keeping an eye on the RP) that the guy who is in charge of the engineering work was in Ganesh shack this morning having breakfast, and has said that they are down to the sand removal and found that a lot of the ship is broken and needs many new plates for re-patching. He says they will work on it 'till end of May and will start early September and if possible would be looking to tow out Oct / Nov, but this does depend on the new patching up work holding in place.
A new hole will be cut to allow for the monsoon and then re-pumping will take place, he says the pumping has not caused a problem its just the plates under the sand allowing water in that needs sorting.
He is an American guy who seems to know his stuff and has also said that the Government will not allow the ship to be cut up.
A new hole will be cut to allow for the monsoon and then re-pumping will take place, he says the pumping has not caused a problem its just the plates under the sand allowing water in that needs sorting.
He is an American guy who seems to know his stuff and has also said that the Government will not allow the ship to be cut up.
Thanx for the update Spike! I hope to be out there again in October/November so might just see it happen! Enjoy the rest of your hols!
I'm going Jan / Feb 2008 and wouldn't be at all surprised to see the RP still basking itself on the beach! Hope not though!
Thanks for the update Spike, good to get some genuine info. straight fror the horses mouth. Can't say I'm surprised about the damage to the bottom plates, if they are as bad as I feel they must be, they will have a hell of a job getting new plates welded into place and of course once you start cutting holes again to stabilise her for the monsoon storms all the sand they have removed will be back in again. I was'nt expecting to see the old girl again, but as we are due back the end of Nov., who knows !!! Alan
Latest up date from Goa com news site, says the ship will be moved by the end of this month - from what I was told this will be fun !!
and the joke of the day is 
she will still be there next year not in one peicwe but she will still be there
lez
she will still be there next year not in one peicwe but she will still be there
lez
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