DURBAN'S AGING floating dock sank without ceremony in early December and has been resisting all efforts to refloat it.
The 60-year-old dock, which is due for replacement by one or possibly two new second-hand docks later this year, had just undergone a refit Ôservice' when it sank with little warning. Teams from the dockyard worked throughout December, including Christmas Day, in an effort to refloat the dock.
According to a senior surveyor involved in the operation, the dock had passed its sell-by date. Most docks are replaced after 30 or so years, he told FTW. This one is long past retirement. Once the dock is refloated, Portnet hopes to return it to service until a new dock it has purchased in Russia arrives. This has also been delayed, however, since the insurers are not prepared to allow it to sail until they consider it to be seaworthy.
By Terry Hutson
