KARACHI, March 6: The submerged rear section of oil tanker Tasman Spirit was towed out of KPT channel on Saturday morning for a final beaching at Gadani, the shipbreaking yard 45 nautical miles from Karachi.

After removal of the rear section, there is no visible irritant left now in the channel, but the international salvage team, which had started the wreck removal operation on January 20, is required to remove all auxiliaries, including steel plates, girders, etc., of the ship cut off and left on seabed during the process, said a maritime source.

At a speed of two nautical miles per hour, the rear portion weighing about 10,000 tonnes started its voyage and was expected to reach the destination on Sunday morning. Two heavy cranes and several tugs were brought in for towing the wreck. The machinery was deployed by Smit Salvage BV. Substantial damage was visible on the starboard side of the portion which would be dismantled at Gadani.

The forward section of the ship has already been taken to Gadani in a similar process which completed on February 22. Both the portions had been sold to local firms for Rs103 million in two separate bidding exercises by the representatives of Tasman Spirit owners.

The payments under the deal are to be made through the Sindh High Court to the account of Admiralty Action No. 20 of 2003, added the source.

The Tasman Spirit, carrying about 67,500 tonnes of Iranian crude oil, had run aground on July 27 last and, on August 14, it split into two resulting in a huge spilling. It has now been estimated that the vessel had spilled about 31,000 tonnes of oil till remedial measures succeeded in stopping further pollution. The spillage caused widespread and heavy damage to environment and biodiversity and serious concern over public health in the city. Experts believe the disaster would cast long term effects on environment and marine resources.

Saturday's wreck removal process was witnessed, monitored and supervised by a number of international salvage experts, environmentalists and local maritime officials. KPT Chairman Vice Admiral (r) Ahmad Hyat and General Manager (Operations) Rear Admiral Noman Bashir were among those who were in KPT boats while the aft portion of the ship was being removed.

Talking to Dawn after the wreck's departure from the KPT channel, Rear Admiral Noman Bashir said that the salvagers, in line with their agreement with KPT, would remove the ship's left over fragments soon. "I have talked to them this morning as well. Perhaps their divers have already started collecting the fragments from the seabed," he said, adding that the process was likely to take about 10 days.

He said that KPT would not allow the salvagers to demobilize their resources and equipment until the channel was completely cleared. The institution would surely get the site inspected by independent surveyors and seek their report before issuing any certificates to the salvagers, he added.

Avoiding a direct reply to a question regarding the quarters responsible for the Tasman mishap, he said that being a member of the International Maritime Organization, KPT had strictly been observing the IMO standards and guidelines. As such, he added, there existed very little chance of slackness on the part of KPT personnel.

As per the IMO categorization, KPT would not allow any tanker without segregated balance tanks to enter into its channel after 2005, the GM of KPT stated.