Cutting charges, meant to separate the aft section of the beached container ship MSC NAPOLI, failed to result in the splitting of the vessel as intended yesterday meaning that further detonations happened today just after 2pm British Summer Time.

Crowds watching the operation saw plumes of smoke rise from the aft section of the ship and heard the explosions.

The ship was deliberately beached last week following a re-floating operation which then showed that cracks in the ship's hull were greater than anticipated and a decision was taken that she should be beached and split into sections.

However after tugs failed to pull the ship apart after the charges were detonated, it was decided a second attempt would be made today to blow her apart.

Despite her deck plates being succesfully split, her longitudinal joists are keeping her intact and it is these that were blown up today. It is not known yet if the attempt has proved successful. Tugs will once more work to pull the ship apart.

The ship was built in 1991 at the Koje shipyard as the CMA CGM NORMANDIE. In 2001 she ran aground on a reef in the Singapore Strait where she stuck fast for several weeks. She was taken to a shipyard in Vietnam where more than 3000 tons of metal were welded onto her hull.

The UK-flagged vessel is under the operation of Zodiac Maritime Agencies of Tavistock Square, London who manage over 130 vessels. She is owned by Metvale Ltd, and was under charter to MSC.