Preparations for Orca towing at advanced stage
Today the new owner of the Orca stressed the importance of towing taking place in good weather conditions. Therefore, he could not give the exact day or time the Orca would leave the bay.
MOSSEL BAY – A tug has been at the Orca drilling rig in the bay of Mossel Bay for the past week.
It is assisting with preparations for towing the Orca away.
Today the new owner of the Orca stressed the importance of towing taking place in good weather conditions. When asked when the Orca would be towed away, he said: “The weather dictates it. It might look calm on the beach, but not out at sea. It’s the force of currents and winds.”
Therefore, he could not give the exact day or time the Orca would leave the bay.
The tug currently assisting with preparations, the AH (anchor handling) ST (salvage tow) Hulk II, is the same tug that will tow the rig away.
The Orca owner reiterated what he said in a previous interview, that the rig was bound for somewhere in Asia. He said once the rig left South African waters, the towing was “out of his hands”.
He could not say how long the towing would take. It depended on the destination and the weather and currents.
Related articles:
- Some questions on Orca answered
- Questions asked about Orca
- Rig sold for R22m for scrap metal
- Petrosa platform to leave the bay
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