M/V Belle Rose, the bulk carrier that ran aground off the Philippines on June 13, was refloated today at Monad Shoal after two-day operations to pull it back to deep waters, local media reported.
M/V Belle Rose ran aground four nautical miles southeast off Malapascua Island in Daanbantayan, Cebu, the Philippines, destroying an estimated 483 meters of coral reefs. The 2010-built vessel is carrying 48,000 tons of cement powder.
Noel Kimmayong, marine superintendent from Malayan Towage and Salvaging Corp., said that the ship was pulled almost 100 meters back where water is deeper.
The salvage operations were conducted by using three tugboats. Having begun on June 18, they were conducted during high tide.
The operations also included discharging water from the forward section to lighten the ship, with the initial plan to discharge 500 tons of water.
The ship is to be inspected for damage before being towed to San Fernando.
Following the ship’s grounding, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) conducted an underwater hull inspection and reported that M/V Belle Rose’s hull was completely resting on the seabed. However, there were no signs of an oil spill.