The MV Smart has fully split in two overnight and authorities are scrambling to put together a plan to offload the fuel oil and cargo from the wreck perched on a sandbar just off a popular surfing beach at Richards Bay, South Africa.

The ship had just finished loading 147,650 tonnes of coal at the Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT).

The Panamanian-flagged ship is registered to Alpha Marine Corp., Reuters reports. After loading at Richards Bay it was intended to deliver its cargo to a port in China, according to Thomson Reuters data.

Experts from the SA Maritime Safety Authority and salvage company Subtech are currently on board the Smart assessing the situation according to reports. (Source:gcaptain)