US Maritime Route Hyundai Glovis Car Carrier Ship Scheduled for Dismantling After 2 Years

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] The large car carrier (PCC) belonging to Hyundai Glovis that capsized off the East Coast of the United States in 2019 is now on the verge of being dismantled two years after the accident.

On the 9th (local time), the Associated Press reported on the second anniversary of the capsizing accident of Hyundai Glovis' car carrier 'Golden Ray.'

The ship capsized on September 8, 2019, while carrying about 4,000 vehicles and sailing from the inner harbor to the outer harbor of Brunswick Port in Georgia, USA, tilting sideways and overturning.

Immediately after the accident, 20 out of 24 crew members evacuated or were rescued. Four Korean crew members were trapped inside the ship and were dramatically rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard after 41 hours.

Brunswick Port is considered one of the busiest ports for vehicle cargo in the United States. However, the capsizing of the Golden Ray blocked the surrounding area of the port, causing disruptions to port operations.

Additionally, parts such as tires and bumpers from the submerged 4,000 vehicles, along with leaking oil, have continuously raised environmental pollution concerns.

The Georgia Port Authority and the Coast Guard have attempted to salvage the Golden Ray since immediately after the accident.

However, experts pointed out that the Golden Ray was too large to be dismantled all at once. Accordingly, work began to cut the hull into eight pieces for transportation.

The dismantling team installed a large tower crane at sea and used a massive anchor like a saw blade to cut the hull.

However, the dismantling work was temporarily suspended in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, in May of last year, a fire broke out inside the ship during dismantling, forcing workers to evacuate urgently.

As of the 9th, six pieces of the Golden Ray's hull have been removed at sea. The cutting work on the last two pieces was completed on the 5th and they are expected to be removed from the sea soon.

Work to remove vehicle parts and other debris that leaked into the sea during the hull cutting is also ongoing.

Michael Himes, spokesperson for the dismantling team and the Coast Guard, said, "The completion of the hull dismantling is approaching," adding, "We are proceeding slowly without rushing to focus all efforts on safety."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.