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A cargo ship that has been stuck off the coast of Sydney since Monday has finally made it to shore after two failed rescue attempts.
- The MV Portland has been stranded since Monday
- The Port Authority of NSW has confirmed all crew members are safe
- The Australian Maritime Safety Authority will now assume responsibility for the vessel's repairs
The Port Authority of NSW confirmed the vessel made it into Port Botany about 2pm this afternoon, after a rescue operation using four tug boats began this morning.
The MV Portland Bay left Port Kembla on Sunday afternoon headed for Melbourne, but lost power on Monday in severe weather conditions.
It had been drifting towards cliffs in the Royal National Park, south of Sydney.
Tug boats were used to tow the boat into deeper waters, but the stormy conditions caused the cable to snap.
The vessel was eventually anchored 1.2 nautical miles from Botany Bay, off the coast of Cronulla, as crews waited for conditions to ease.
A plan to airlift the crew from the vessel was abandoned at the time due to dangerous conditions.
The NSW Port Authority has confirmed all 21 crew members aboard the are safe, after enduring two stormy nights at sea.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) will now assume responsibility of the vessel’s safety and repairs, with the Port Authority of NSW thanking staff and agencies for their work.
The deputy secretary of the Sydney Branch of the Maritime Union, Paul Garrett, earlier this week labelled the tugboat crews heroes for braving the treacherous conditions on the water.
"They've always been heroes," he said.
"I think the most impressive thing is, when most people head for shelter, our members are jumping on board the boat to head out to sea and do their best.
"The seas were big, they went from five to nine metres ... it is akin to being in a washing machine.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet similarly described the work of personnel on board the tugboats overnight as "heroic" and "incredibly impressive".
"They worked through the night to ensure that the bulk carrier was in a stable and anchored position," he said.
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