The Lautoka-based tug, Maika Tora, pulled the fully laden tanker, the Greta Theresa, off Navula Reef in the early hours of Thursday and towed the vessel back to Fiji's main Vuda oil terminal.
The Danish-registered 1200 DWT tanker left Vuda Wednesday morning but ran aground on the main exit channel at Nadi Bay, four kilometres from Fiji's major tourist resorts.
Attempts by the ship's captain to float the Greta Theresa off on high tide at noon Wednesday were unsuccessful, and the Maika Tora - part of the fleet of United Salvage Pty Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Adsteam Marine - was successful in pulling the tanker off the reef on the high tide at 1.00 am Thursday.
United Salvage also dispatched a salvage team to Vuda and divers were on Thursday morning inspecting the hull of the tanker.
Adsteam Marine's Managing Director, Mr David Ryan, said the successful rescue on the first attempt was particularly pleasing because of the close proximity of the grounding reefs to Fiji's prime Yasawa and Mamanuca island resorts.
United Salvage provides comprehensive inshore and offshore Emergency Marine Response services throughout Australasia and the South Pacific for shipping casualties and maritime environmental incidents.
