Ghoramara barge waits for bore tide for journey back to B’desh
Times of India | 27 February 2025
12 Kolkata: Bangladeshi barge Sea World that had capsized while transporting fly ash from Budge Budge has been emptied of its cargo. Two vessels, including MV Gorai, have also arrived from Bangladesh to retrieve the vessel whose hull had split. Locals said welding of the hull has almost been completed and once there is bore tide around March 3-4, the two vessels will attempt to tow the stranded Sea World to Namkhana Jetty for further repairs before transporting it back to Bangladesh.
The vessel laden with fly ash ran aground on Feb 13 after hitting a sandbank near Ghoramara Island. It has remained beached there since then. The wide crack in the hull that had threatened to split the vessel in two had raised the spectre of fly ash and diesel pollution. But officials said the flash cargo had been nearly emptied, with two barges conducting the offloading operation. Two large vessels that have arrived from Bangladesh have also managed to successfully dislodged Sea World from the sandbank. Both vessels will collaborate to tow the barge. The crew is awaiting for the completion of welding operations and favourable tide conditions.
Sources said while the welding operations are being carried out at the current site near Ghoramara, engine repairs that also need to be undertaken can happen only at Namkhana Jetty.
According to Ghoramara panchayat upapradhan Sanjib Sagar, they have received information about the towing arrangement involving two vessels on either side. Alternatively, one vessel might pull from the front whilst the other pushes from behind. The initial 20-22 km journey leads to Namkhana. "They're awaiting high tide conditions, particularly during the new moon period when peak tides occur on the third and fourth day," he said.
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