The Venu Shipping Limited has hired professionals to cut up the sunken Sinuwasa I  at Levuka Port, Ovalau.

Company general manager Ben Naidu yesterday confirmed that work started last Friday (November 11).

He said the company had tried to lift the vessel but was unsuccessful.

Mr Naidu said they had looked at several options and the best one was to cut the vessel where it had sunk.

He said they had bought lifting bags from China to help them.

According to Wikipedia  a lifting bag is an item of diving equipment consisting of a robust and air-tight bag with straps, which is used to lift heavy objects underwater by means of the bag’s buoyancy. The heavy object can either be moved horizontally underwater by the diver or sent unaccompanied to the surface.

Mr Naidu said the removal of the sunken vessel required professional people and equipment.

“The project is complex and requires professional people to ensure that work is done safely with minimum impact to the environment and those who were employed to remove the vessel,” he said.

“I have to personally look for experts and employ them to work in my company.”

He said that South Pacific Dive and Salvage had worked on the removal of the vessel for one month but pulled out because they said they vessel was near to the wharf.

The vessel will be cut into sections and will not be sold to any scrap metal company in the country.

He said after cutting the vessel, the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji will be informed about it.

“MSAF will decide on where the remains be scuttled.”

Mr Naidu admitted that the Sinuwasa I  was causing obstruction to the Pacific Fishing Company Limited (PAFCO).

The company he said had apologised for the delay and removal of their vessel as it had been causing obstruction to the Levuka wharf.

There was no timeline for the work as he did not want put his employers at risk.

The vessel Sinuwasa 1 went down during Tropical Cyclone Winston.