Multraship has successfully righted the Turkish general cargo ship Gulizar Ana
It is thought that the capsizing of the 3,300 dwt vessel was due to shifting of its cargo of steel coils and forklifts, although investigations are still under way.
Having been awarded the LOF contract to salvage the vessel on 13 September, Multraship mobilised its floating sheerlegs vessel Cormorant, and the tug Fonda from its base in Bourgas, in the Bulgarian Black Sea. It also mobilised a salvage team, sludge barge, skimmer vessel, pumps and other equipment, all of which were on site by 17 September. The Romanian authorities gave permission to start salvage operations the following day. The Gulizar Ana was leaning at an angle of about sixty degrees, and was prevented from listing further by a floating crane moored between the vessel and the quay. Following complex diving inspections and preparations by the Multraship team, the lifting operation got under way on September 20.
The vessel’s engine room and accommodation were pumped out into a sludge barge, and the list was brought back to about 28 degrees. Removing one of the vessel’s two forklifts further corrected the list to roughly twelve degrees, at which point the Romanian authorities carried out an inspection and authorised the Multraship team to remove the remaining forklift and one steel coil, which task was completed on the morning of 21 September 21. The vessel was then ballasted and returned to an even keel, ready for redelivery to its owners.