Hundreds of luxury Land Rovers salvaged from capsized transporter ship could be SCRAPPED: Cars finally arrive back on dry land - but face being crushed despite having just dents and scratches

  • Dozens of luxury Range Rovers and a Porsche have started to be driven off an ill-fated large car transporter ship
  • The Hoegh Osaka was deliberately grounded in the Solent on January 3 after it started to list at 52 degrees 
  • Cars had dents and scratches, though a spokesman for the shipping line described the damage as 'limited'
  • However entire fleet may need to be scrapped after a similar accident in 2006 lead to 4,700 Mazdas being crushed 

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With their doors dented and their paintwork badly scratched, this was how £30million-worth of Range Rovers, Jaguars and Porches emerged from a carrier ship today after it ran around just off the English coast three weeks ago.

The Hoegh Osaka, carrying 1,400 luxury cars including a £260,000 Rolls Royce Wraith, was deliberately grounded on Bramble Bank in the Solent to stop it capsizing on January 3.

While a spokesman for the shipping company today described the damage to the cars as 'limited', there are fears the entire fleet could have to be scrapped after a similar accident in  2006 lead to 4,700 Mazdas being destroyed.

The cars were sent to the crusher after transporter MV Cougar Ace partially capsized in the North Pacific while carrying a load of Mazdas away from the factory. It was left resting for just over three weeks, a similar length of time to the Hoegh Osaka, at an angle of 60 degrees. 

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Hundreds of Range Rovers, Jaguars and Porches began to be unloaded fromtransporter Hoegh Osaka today, three weeks after it was deliberately run aground off the English coast when it started to list

Hundreds of Range Rovers, Jaguars and Porches began to be unloaded fromtransporter Hoegh Osaka today, three weeks after it was deliberately run aground off the English coast when it started to list

It is not yet known what will become of the fleet of luxury cars, worth up to £30million, but there are fears the whole lot could have to be crushed after a similar transporter accident in 2006 lead to 4,700 Mazdas being destroyed

It is not yet known what will become of the fleet of luxury cars, worth up to £30million, but there are fears the whole lot could have to be crushed after a similar transporter accident in 2006 lead to 4,700 Mazdas being destroyed

Authorities are carrying out a full examination of all the cars on board to see how extensively they have been damaged after the accident. This Porsche Boxter was left with large scratches and dents to its bodywork

Authorities are carrying out a full examination of all the cars on board to see how extensively they have been damaged after the accident. This Porsche Boxter was left with large scratches and dents to its bodywork

A spokesman for the shipping line described the damage today as 'limited', but in 2006 a shipment of Mazdas in a similar condition were destroyed after resting at sea for three weeks at an angle of 60 degrees - almost identical conditions to the Osaka

Initially a Mazda spokesman said that only 68 cars had been damaged in the crash, either by slipping their moorings or rolling into other vehicles, but it was eventually decided that all 4,700 vehicles needed to be crushed.

Engineers were worried about what effect resting at such a severe angle for so long would have on the inner workings of the cars, especially on the electrolyte in the batteries.

Rather than open themselves up to the possibility of lawsuits due to mechanical faults, the company decided that it was safer to scrap the lot.

The Osaka was deliberately run aground after it started to list at 52 degrees, a similar angle to the Cougar Ace, just after leaving Southampton port.

A spokesman for Hoegh Autoliners said that each car was being inspected after being removed from the ship, and that a decision about their fate would not be made until that task was complete. It is not yet known what, if any, damaged was sustained by the Rolls Royce.

If it is decided that all the vehicles need to be disposed of then the total bill will run into the tens of millions of pounds. 

Even if the cars are deemed road worthy, some of the new owners will still be left disappointed after the vehicles were pictured arriving on shore today with dents and scratches to the bodywork.  

Back ashore: A red Jaguar F-type is driven back on to dry land after spending three weeks stranded on board the Hoegh Osaka

Back ashore: A red Jaguar F-type is driven back on to dry land after spending three weeks stranded on board the Hoegh Osaka

Valuable: The ship's cargo is thought to be worth £30million, leaving a huge bill for the accident if the cars have to be written off

Valuable: The ship's cargo is thought to be worth £30million, leaving a huge bill for the accident if the cars have to be written off

Dozens of Range Rovers are on board, as well as Jaguars, and the incident could run into costs of tens of millions of pounds of damage 

Dozens of Range Rovers are on board, as well as Jaguars, and the incident could run into costs of tens of millions of pounds of damage 

Mazda engineers were concerned about what effect resting at such a severe angle would have on the cars, particularly on the electrolytes in the batteries. If inspectors take the same decision over the Osaka (pictured), then the bill for the accident could run into tens of millions

Mazda engineers were concerned about what effect resting at such a severe angle would have on the cars, particularly on the electrolytes in the batteries. If inspectors take the same decision over the Osaka (pictured), then the bill for the accident could run into tens of millions

The transporter was also carrying up to 80 agricultural or building plant machines, including a large stone-cutter machine weighing more than 30 tonnes. 

High winds and heavy rain hampered the rescue operation - even causing one of the tugs to smash into the Osaka as it was being towed. It was brought back to land last week so that its precious cargo could be unloaded.

All of the cargo, which includes the cars and other equipment, will be taken off the ship by the end of this week or early next week, according to Hoegh Autoliners.

A spokesman for Hoegh Autoliners' Navigate Response said: 'There is only limited damage to the cargo.

'Most of the lashings held, and only a couple of pieces - large machinery - shifted. 

Saved from the sea: Dock workers in Southampton help to drive a fleet of Range Rovers back on to shore after the ship they were on was run aground to stop it capsizing

Saved from the sea: Dock workers in Southampton help to drive a fleet of Range Rovers back on to shore after the ship they were on was run aground to stop it capsizing

Safe: These Range Rovers were just one part of a valuable cargo that included Jaguars, Porches, and a Rolls Royce Wraith thought to be worth £260,000 on its own

Safe: These Range Rovers were just one part of a valuable cargo that included Jaguars, Porches, and a Rolls Royce Wraith thought to be worth £260,000 on its own

Line 'em up: The cars are moved into position at Southampton docks today after the craft they were being carried on, the Hoegh Osaka, was towed back to dry land after three weeks stranded in the English channel

Line 'em up: The cars are moved into position at Southampton docks today after the craft they were being carried on, the Hoegh Osaka, was towed back to dry land after three weeks stranded in the English channel

The ship arrived at Southampton on January 22 and crews today began removing cars stowed on board, including Jaguars and Range Rovers

The ship arrived at Southampton on January 22 and crews today began removing cars stowed on board, including Jaguars and Range Rovers

Officials said a full assessment of the damage would need to be carried out before it was decided what would happen to the large fleet of cars 

Officials said a full assessment of the damage would need to be carried out before it was decided what would happen to the large fleet of cars 

'Water damage only occured on the lowest deck and on the one side the ship was listing.'

It is not yet known which vehicles were damaged by the sea water inside the ship and the spokesman said the vehicles were owned by 'a variety of parties' - including dealers and private owners. 

Cars which are damaged or do not start up will be towed off the ship.

The spokesman said only preliminary checks had been carried out at this stage and a full assessment would be completed once every car was back on dry land, so they could make a decision about what to do with damaged vehicles.

The Singapore-registered Hoegh Osaka was heading to the Middle East was deliberately grounded when it started to list just 45 minutes after leaving the port of Southampton. 

Vehicles, many seemingly undamaged, were seen rolling off the ship, and it could take up to a week for all the cars to be removed from it 

Vehicles, many seemingly undamaged, were seen rolling off the ship, and it could take up to a week for all the cars to be removed from it 

The Hoegh Osaka was stranded in the Solent from January 3 after it started listing at about 9.20pm, 45 minutes into a journey to Germany 

The Hoegh Osaka was stranded in the Solent from January 3 after it started listing at about 9.20pm, 45 minutes into a journey to Germany 

Salvage firm Svitzer managed to complete ballast management to reduce the list of the ship to five degrees and it was towed back to shore 

Salvage firm Svitzer managed to complete ballast management to reduce the list of the ship to five degrees and it was towed back to shore 

The 25 person crew had to be rescued by RNLI lifeboats and a coastguard helicopter with two people suffering non-life threatening injuries during the incident.

The cargo ship, which is 180 metres long and 32 metres wide, finally arrived back in Southampton on January 22.

A spokeswoman from the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) confirmed they were investigating what had caused the large vessel to list so dramatically.

WHAT HAPPENED TO GROUND THE HOEGH AUTOLINERS SHIP AND ITS PRECIOUS CARGO FOR THREE WEEKS? 

January 3, 8.30pm - The Hoegh Osaka, a Singapore-registered ship, left the port of Southampton bound for Bremerhaven in Germany.The 180 metre long ship was bound for Germany, and loaded with 1,400 cars including Land Rovers, Jaguars and a £260,000 Rolls Royce.

January 3, 9.20pm - About 45 minutes after it left the port the 15 year old ship started to list badly at 52 degrees. It was deliberately grounded by the crew, near the Isle of Wight in Hampshire, to prevent it capsizing. A rescue operation was then launched to rescue the captain and 25 crew members. It is understood the cargo ship, which has a nine-metre draught, turned sharply to the left as it passed the notorious Bramble Bank sandbank near Cowes and ran aground. Following the incident a 200 metre exclusion zone was set up around the ship, to prevent other vessels interfering with the tugs. 

January 5 - Salvage experts unsuccessfully tried to re-float the huge ship by using four tugs to pull it off the sandbank.

The Hoegh Osaka was deliberately grounded in the Solent, around 20 minutes into its journey, after it started listing at 52 degrees 

The Hoegh Osaka was deliberately grounded in the Solent, around 20 minutes into its journey, after it started listing at 52 degrees 

January 7 - The ship was floated from Bramble Bank on the high tide and tugs were used to tow it to Alpha Anchorage near Lee-on-the-Solent.

January 10 - One of the tugs crashed into the ship during a period of high winds.An excavator that was on board shifted during the sailing and punched a hole in the side of the hull, which was quickly repaired. But some 3,000 tonnes of water entered the vessel.

January 17 - The 3,000 tonnes of water was pumped out and into empty fuel tanks on board.

January 22 - Salvage firm Svitzer was able to complete ballast management and reduce the ship's list to five degrees. It was then towed to Southampton Docks by four tugs.During its journey, an exclusion zone around the vessel was in place, set at 1,000 metres ahead and behind and 100 metres either side. Airspace was also restricted to one mile around the route as a precaution. Hundreds of people gathered at Southampton Water to watch the ship complete its three hour journey back to the port. 

January 27 - luxury cars, including Range Rovers and a Porsche, started to be driven off the ship.  

Around 3,000 tonnes of water entered the vessel when a hole was punched in its side and this had to be pumped out from the car carrier 

Around 3,000 tonnes of water entered the vessel when a hole was punched in its side and this had to be pumped out from the car carrier 

 

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