Today at high tide, they tried once again. Because it was now or never, as we aren't likely to see another high tide like this again in the season. So this is how the day got started today. Barge and tugs were on standby, just waiting for high tide. Engineers with workers too were anxiously waiting at the beach. Finally at the peak of high tide, they gave it one final pull - And suddenly the ship broke itself free from the sand! It is indeed extremely rare for a beached ship anywhere in the world to become seaworthy again. So this was truly a unique success story which we all witnessed over here today. Now successfully pulled into deeper water, Heng Tong 77 started it's own engine, and then got moving under it's own power. Goodbye Heng Tong 77, do please visit Karachi again. Just not during the monsoon season...
So pleased that it (eventually) was a happy ending after all that!! I just hope that none of the cargo perishable.
No, from what I've heard, the cargo isn't perishable - Just some computers and smartphones going from China to Turkey... Anyway, believe it or not, but the ship is back at Seaview Beach. Yes, this real life comedy still hasn't come to an end. Apparently, as soon as I left the beach to do something, this ship nearly collided with the barge, (in my last picture above it can be seen about to happen). So to prevent that, the ship reversed it's engines - Which broke it's towing cable from the 2 tugs. Now the ship had lost it's momentum, and so the waves threw it back at the beach... Seriously, this wouldn't be Pakistan - Had everything happened according to plan, without any drama. Meanwhile the ship owner was seen pulling his hair out!
If the ship was alive, then it's behavior would sure look like that it doesn't want to leave Karachi... Yes, Pakistani hospitality can be very addictive. So perhaps this ship now wants to turn native. So I say except it's fate, and have it permanently mounted at the beach. Convert it into a restaurant and/or, maybe a hotel and casino too - And build a water park resort around it as well. That way it will instantly become a revenue generating object overnight. Because if the rumor is correct that it's cargo is around quarter of a billion dollars worth of smartphones, (going from China into Europe through Turkey) - Then just declare the cargo lost at sea under the international rules of maritime salvage, (let the insurance companies take the financial hit). And later sell the cargo into the open market. That alone should pay for such a project. I really don't know why people these days are so unimaginative. But if I was in charge of this operation - Then this is what I'd do! Because right now this ship isn't doing anything but eating money, (a few million dollars each time they try to pull it out)... So please think out of the box I say! Make the owner of this ship a partner into this venture also, along with local administration. Then watch the income this area will earn as a tourist attraction! But who listens to me anyway...
This is how the towing of the ship failed... See Twitter video below. https://twitter.com/asifullahkhan62...an622Fstatus2F1431167167928676352widget=Tweet
And this is how the ship is today. Looks abandoned, but KPT is saying that they will refloat it - Because it is proven once already that it can be made seaworthy again. They are now just waiting for another extra high tide. Which will be from the 7th till the 11th of September 2021. Authorities are already in the process of building another public park at the beach, (3rd one). At the edge of which, a concrete ship structure already exists. It was once called "The Floating Ship Restaurant". Then it became "The Chunky Monkey" children amusement spot. But now it's closed due to Covid-19. So some infrastructure already exists at this place. To convert this ship into a restaurant and/or a hotel. This is what this under construction park looks like so far. Here there is this stuck Heng Tong 77 ship in the background. And this is how it's looking now, in the evening.
