The Bangladeshi coastal freighter Maa ran aground in Vsakhapatnam (Vizag) on India's Bay of Bengal coastline in mid-October. A commercial salvor's attempt to refloat the ship was scheduled for November 14-15, but it has been called off, and the shipowner has declared an intention to abandon the vessel in place.
In some localities, this would be considered a negative outcome, but local officials in Vizag are prepared to welcome the wreck as a permanent addition to their shoreline. An Indian contractor has removed about 25,000 gallons of fuel from the Maa's tanks, so the pollution risk is reduced, and her hulk has already become a popular tourist attraction. Andhra Pradesh's tourism minister, M Srinivasa Rao, told the Express that the state may take possession of the ship and turn it into a (formerly) floating restaurant. "It will be a good addition to the already existing aircraft and submarine museums in Vizag,” Rao told the paper.
Source: Maritime-Executive (Click for further of the article)
In some localities, this would be considered a negative outcome, but local officials in Vizag are prepared to welcome the wreck as a permanent addition to their shoreline. An Indian contractor has removed about 25,000 gallons of fuel from the Maa's tanks, so the pollution risk is reduced, and her hulk has already become a popular tourist attraction. Andhra Pradesh's tourism minister, M Srinivasa Rao, told the Express that the state may take possession of the ship and turn it into a (formerly) floating restaurant. "It will be a good addition to the already existing aircraft and submarine museums in Vizag,” Rao told the paper.
Source: Maritime-Executive (Click for further of the article)