Bow of MSC Napoli arrives at Belfast

Well she's made it! That's the bow section of the MSC Napoli which has been towed from Lyme Bay around Cornwall's south coast then north through the Irish Sea to Belfast. Presently at a holding point just outside Belfast harbour it is hoped that this part of Napoli can be moved into the Harland and Wolff yard later this week.

Good that the weather window has stayed open long enough for the voyage because we are promised autumnal style gales for the next couple of days. So dire has been the weather forecast that the Fastnet yacht race has been put back by I think about a day - no doubt they are recalling the 1979 event when a storm took a number of lives.

Front part of MSC Napoli - bye bye

I had previously blogged that the bow section of the MSC Napoli would shortly be towed to Belfast to be broken up. This happy event started yesterday afternoon and it's estimated that the tow will take five days to complete. The met office are suggesting that the weather could turn wet and windy round about Tuesday so fingers crossed that they can get to the Harland and Wolff yard by then.

This still leaves the aft section of Napoli with the accommodation block just off the coast at Branscombe so the locals may not be uncorking the champagne just yet!

Part of Napoli destined for Belfast

Although the stern section of the MSC Napoli is still sitting off the beach at Branscombe awaiting cutting up after a tender for the work has been let, the destiny of the remainder of the ship has now been determined. The bow section will be towed down the English Channel and then up the Irish Sea to Belfast where the long established shipyard of Harland and Wolff will dismantle and recycle it. I believe that yard has enough depth of water to accommodate the Napoli; a historic footnote - this is where the Titanic was built.

It seems that the salvers are looking for a decent weather window for the tow. So another chapter in the Napoli saga is drawing to a close.