WAHINE TO BE REMOVED; DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31676, 11 May 1968, Page 1

WAHINE TO BE REMOVED; DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS

(New Zealand Preee Association)

WELLINGTON, May 10. The wreck of the Wahine, lying on the sea bed in Wellington Harbour, could be most economically floated by urethane foam, the senior salvage master for the Murphy Pacific Marine Salvage Company, Captain W. D. Thomas, said in Wellington tonight.

He said just enough

urethane could be put in the Wahine to lift

it off the sea bed, and it could then be towed out to sea and sunk by explosives.

The Wahine has been claimed as a "constructive total loss” by its owners, the Union Steam Ship Company, and the underwriters have accepted this claim, the company said in a statement today.

Captain Thomas said about 2501 b of urethane a minute could be pumped into the ship and each pound of the chemical wet worth 201 b of buoyancy. New Method Captain Thomas said urethane foam expanded and solidified when it came into contact witiv-tvater. It was a comparatively new method, and was faster and cheaper than the alternative of patching the Wahine’s holes with cement and steel and pumping the water out. The patching method could take about six months, while the foam method might take as little as one month.

"This is a job made for

urethane,” said Captain Thomas. He said that it would nrnh.

He said that it would probably not be economical for the Wahine to be reclaimed as scrap.

Company’s Statement The following is the full text of the Union Steam Ship Company’s statement:— Immediately after the Wahine disaster world-wide inquiries were nude of tenders to be submitted by salvage firms. Seven tenders were received.

Evaluation of the tenders for salvage and estimation of the cost of repairs have reached such a high total figure that we have,been compelled to claim a constructive total loss, and this has been accepted by underwriters. Throughout our examinations we have had the full benefit of discussions with experts from the salvage association and the conclusion reached is that the cost of salvage operations, together with the cost of repairs and removal to a shipyard for rebuilding and refitting, is considerably in excess of the insured value of the ship.

The next step is to comply with a notification already received from the Wellington Harbour Board that the company is required to remove the wreck within a reasonable time. Discussions are now taking place with representatives of the United Kingdom Protection and Indemnity

Club as to the best means to follow to comply with the statute. The company is stiU seeking a suitable replacement vessel but nothing is immediately available. Standards of accommodation vary considerably in overseas roll-on, rolloff services in respect of both crew and passengers.