Grounded ro/ro to be dismantled on English beach

Irish Sea all-freight company Seatruck Ferries, part of the Clipper Group, has decided to dismantle its grounded roll-on/roll-off ferry, Riverdance, before it sinks further into Blackpool Beach in the north of England.

The 6,000-ton vessel ran into trouble amid fierce winds on Jan. 31 while transporting trucks and trailers from Warrenpoint in Northern Ireland to Heysham in Lancashire, England. The ship developed a 40-degree list before grounding at Cleveleys Beach, North Shore, Blackpool.

The original plan to reduce the list using tidal and internal buoyancy had to be abandoned when the ship suffered additional structural damage during storms on March 12. Riverdance now rests on the beach with a list of more than 100 degrees and continues to sink deeper into the sand. It is estimated that at least four meters of the bridge/wheelhouse is now under the sand.

Under the chosen plan, all cargo, trailers and machinery will be removed from the ferry together with any debris and pollutants, while maintaining the integrity of the hull. The vessel will then be stripped down internally until only the shell remains. The hull will be cut into manageable pieces and transported for recycling. The whole process is estimated to last between 12 to 14 weeks, weather permitting.

Until the new contract for demolition is awarded, SMIT Salvage remain on contract to carry out caretaking duties only. 

Source: American Shipper