Caption: The cargo vessel Hein shortly after it was purposefully ran aground in a shallow water bay on the south coast line of Monos island on Tuesday to prevent a complete capsize
By Alicia Chamely
EFFORTS to unload and move the cargo vessel Hein began less than 24 hours after it ran aground in a shallow bay, west of Turtle Bay on Monos Island.
A barge and tugboat were, as well as members of the Coast Guard and the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) Marine Services were at the site on Wednesday.
Assessments of the ship were being made to ensure the vessel was not posing any danger to other boaters or the environment.
The ship’s owners had arranged for the cargo to be transferred onto a barge and no more hydrocarbons could be seen leaking into the water.
Corporate Secretary of Fishermen and Friends of the Sea Gary Aboud said it was refreshing to see responsible ship owners take charge in clean up and recovery efforts in less than 24 hours.
The FFOS visited the site on Wednesday and detailed what they observed in a release. They said, “At the site, FFOS observed a barge and the tug C. Prowler actively working to stabilize the Hein. A crane was seen shifting a heavy load of bricks to the starboard side to balance the vessel. Importantly, there is no longer any hydrocarbon pollution in the water – a remarkable example of corporate responsibility in action.”
Aboud and the FFOS stated, “However, while commendable efforts are being made by the private sector, FFOS is deeply disappointed by the state of our Coast Guard’s resources. They arrived in an old, dilapidated pirogue – a troubling image, given the millions of dollars spent annually on maritime security and emergency response.”
On Tuesday morning the cargo vessel Hein, transporting bricks to St Vincent, encountered rough waters as it exited the Gulf of Paria. The Hein is registered in Georgetown Guyana and sailing under a Guyanese flag.
The unfavourable sea conditions caused the vessel’s cargo to shift, resulting in the ship dangerously listing to one side.
In efforts to prevent the ship from completely capsizing, the captain turned back into the Gulf and ran the boat aground into a shallow bay located on the south side of Monos Island.
Shortly after the incident the FFOS arrived at the scene after being alerted by fishermen in the area.
They made a call for the Ministry of Energy, Institute of Marine Affairs, and the EMA to activate the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan and deploy booms to contain the pollution.
Videos posted to social media on Tuesday evening, showed the dramatic moment when the boat ran aground. Taken by the crew on a nearby pirogue, the vessel can be seen dramatically leaning to one side, with crew members gathered on the bow.
Men on the pirogue screamed at the ship’s captain to cut off his engine, but after realising what he was doing, they began screaming for the men on the bow to “brace” as the ship made contact with the shallow ocean bed.
Once the vessel had run aground it was anchored and secured by ropes tied to the shore to prevent it moving or shifting with the changing of the tides.
