Pieces of capsized cargo ship make way to this area

Pieces of the cargo vessel Golden Ray, which overturned in a Georgia port while loaded with thousands of cars, will make their way through this area as soon as the day after Christmas, Port of Morgan City board members heard Monday night.
Also Monday, the board recognized the service of two members who are stepping down.
The 656-foot Golden Ray was loaded with 4,000 Hyundai and Kia vehicles in September 2019 and headed out of the Port of Brunswick, Georgia, when it rolled over on its side.
In September 2020, a Coast Guard naval architect testified that the vessel may have capsized because its cargo was unstable. Rearranging the cargo on the ship’s deck or using an additional 1,500 gallons of water as ballast might have kept the Golden Ray upright as it turned to leave the port, said Lt. Ian Oviatt, quoted in the Georgia Recorder.
No one was injured, but four members of the Golden Ray’s crew of 23 were trapped in vessel for 30 hours.
Salvage efforts have been slowed by a fire and by COVID-19.
The Golden Ray is being cut into sections for salvage, and some of the pieces are headed for the Modern American Recycling Services Inc. yard on Bayou Black. MARS describes itself as “the largest barge dismantler and offshore decommissioning provider in the United States.”
Coast Guard Lt. Hayley Gipson told the Port of Morgan City board Monday night that the pieces of the Golden Ray will need about 10 days for the journey through the Gulf of Mexico, the Atchafalaya and Bayou Chene on its way to MARS.
The first section is expected to be in this area about Dec. 26. The Coast Guard hopes to time the arrival so that the transit through the Bayou Chene Flood Control Structure, currently under construction, will occur during daylight.
The port board also:
—Thanked outgoing board members Lee Dragna and Tim Matthews for their service.
Matthews is stepping down after serving the two-term limit.
“I was glad to be part of things, to do something for Morgan City,” Matthews said.
Dragna won the Dec. 5 runoff to become mayor of Morgan City beginning in 2021 and said he will soon resign from the port board.
“It’s been fun,” Dragna said. “It’s been great. I’ll always be here … if anyone needs help.”
Matthews’ successor will be chosen by the Morgan City Council. Dragna’s post will be filled by an appointment by the governor.
—Heard a report on the audit of the port’s finances for the 2019-20 fiscal year.
Jeremy Meaux of Darnell, Sikes, Gardes & Frederick said the audit earned a grade of clear and unmodified, which means the auditors found no noteworthy deficiencies.
“You did a great job again this year,” Meaux said.
Port Director Raymond “Mac” Wade said last year was the seventh straight year in which port revenue has increased.