A cargo ship that was stranded for nearly three weeks after it was beached on a sandbank has finally docked after being towed back to port. The 51,000-tonne Hoegh Osaka, which is carrying more than £30million worth of cargo, was grounded deliberately on a sandbar as it left Southampton on January 3 after it started listing dangerously in a busy shipping lane with 25 crew aboard. The multi-million pound plan to re-right the 15-year-old ship - which needed to be done before it could be brought back to port - has faced a number of delays caused  by heavy winds and stormy weather. But today the salvage team working on the ship successfully reduced its listing to five degrees - allowing the Singapore-registered vessel to be towed back into Southampton, where it arrived shortly after 5.30pm. Scroll down for video . Arrival: The car-carrier was towed into Southampton port shortly before 7pm, ending a salvage operation that lasted nearly three weeks . Next step: The state of the cargo, which includes luxury cars and pieces of heavy machinery, will now be assessed for damage . Success: Hundreds of onlookers flocked to the banks of Southampton  to see the vessel complete its three-hour journey back to port . Hundreds of onlookers flocked to the banks of Southampton Water to see the vessel complete its three-hour journey back to port guided by four tugs. Marketing executive Jason Mumford, 40, from Southampton, left work an hour early so he could watch the Hoegh Osaka being towed back in. He said: 'It's great to see it being moved from the Solent, especially after nearly three weeks virtually on its side in the water. 'You could still see a very slight list but other than that it looks like any other ship coming into Southampton.' After the vessel beached, the 24 crew members and the pilot were evacuated from the leaning vessel during darkness in a dramatic air and sea rescue operation. At the time, 591ft ship was listing at 52 degrees. Four days later the ship, which sailing to Bremerhaven, Germany, floated free from the sandbank on high tide and has since been anchored at a spot two miles east called Alpha Anchorage, near Lee-on-the-Solent. The 19-day salvage operation was hampered by heavy winds, which were so strong during one storm that they even caused one of the tugs to collide with the vessel. Return journey: The 51,000-tonne Hoegh Osaka was towed back to Southampton today - almost three weeks after it was beached . Stranded: The vessel, which is carrying more than £30million worth of cargo, was grounded deliberately shortly after leaving Southampton . Recovery: The multi-million pound salvage mission, which was hampered by heavy winds and stormy weather, was completed today . Salvaged: Onlookers gathered on the seafront in Calshot, Hampshire, to watch the vessel as it was towed back to port in Southampton . An excavator that was on board shifted during the sailing and punched a hole in the side of the hull, which was quickly repaired. But some 3,000 tonnes of water entered the vessel and had to be pumped out and into empty fuel tanks on board. It was only then that salvage firm Svitzer was able to complete ballast management and bring the vessel back to a listing of five degrees. The condition of the cargo, which includes 1,200 Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles, 65 Mini cars and 105 pieces of JCB construction equipment, is not clear but further inspections are due now the ship has berthed. Nearly there: As darkness fell this evning, the ship continued its journey towards Southampton port, towed by a tug (pictured right) New position: Four days after beaching the ship, which sailing to Bremerhaven, Germany, floated free from the sandbank on high tide . Back to shore: Tug boats surround the Singapore-registered vessel as it was brought back to Southampton port this evening . Valuable: The condition of the cargo, which includes 1,200 Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles and 65 Minis, is not yet clear . Hugh Shaw, the Secretary of State's Representative for Maritime Salvage and Intervention (Sosrep), had said the vessel could not be brought back into port until the list had been sufficiently reduced. He explained this was to ensure the cargo hold doors could be opened in order for the cars and other vehicles to be discharged when it was brought alongside. However, early today it was decided that it was ready to head back to Southampton Port. During its journey, an exclusion zone around the vessel was in place, set at 1,000 metres ahead and behind and 100 metres either side. Righted: The ship needed to reach a list of five degrees before it could be brought back, so that cargo doors could be open in port . Operation: Salvage crews working in the Solent have been removing water from the vessel's car decks and managing its ballast . Progress: The ship, pictured on its journey back to Southampton Port, docked shortly after 5.30pm - more than an hour ahead of schedule . Frantic effort: The stricken ship was listing at 52 degrees when it was beached on January 3. Above, it was towed to an anchor point . Airspace around the cargo ship was also be restricted to one mile either side of the route as a safety precaution. An MCA spokeswoman said earlier today: 'The Hoegh Osaka is scheduled to arrive at Berth 101 in Southampton Port at 7pm. 'During the towing operation to bring the Hoegh Osaka in to Southampton Port, a restricted airspace (temporary) will be placed one mile either side of the navigation route and up to 2,000ft. This is designed to provide essential safety during the towing operation. 'There will also be an exclusion zone around the vessel itself of 3,280ft  ahead and behind and 328ft either side.'
Hoegh Osaka ran aground as it left Southampton for Bremerhaven, Germany, on January 3 with 25 crew aboard .
The 51,000-tonne ship was steered deliberately towards sandbar after it began to list severely shortly after leaving .
Multi-million pound plan to re-right the ship - which needed to be done before it could be towed - faced major delays .
But it has now been towed back to Southampton after salvage crew achieved necessary five-degree listing today .
A cargo ship that was stranded for nearly three weeks after it was beached on a sandbank has finally docked after being towed back to port. The 51,000-tonne Hoegh Osaka, which is carrying more than £30million worth of cargo, was grounded deliberately on a sandbar as it left Southampton on January 3 after it started listing dangerously in a busy shipping lane with 25 crew aboard. The multi-million pound plan to re-right the 15-year-old ship - which needed to be done before it could be brought back to port - has faced a number of delays caused  by heavy winds and stormy weather. But today the salvage team working on the ship successfully reduced its listing to five degrees - allowing the Singapore-registered vessel to be towed back into Southampton, where it arrived shortly after 5.30pm. Scroll down for video . Arrival: The car-carrier was towed into Southampton port shortly before 7pm, ending a salvage operation that lasted nearly three weeks . Next step: The state of the cargo, which includes luxury cars and pieces of heavy machinery, will now be assessed for damage . Success: Hundreds of onlookers flocked to the banks of Southampton  to see the vessel complete its three-hour journey back to port . Hundreds of onlookers flocked to the banks of Southampton Water to see the vessel complete its three-hour journey back to port guided by four tugs. Marketing executive Jason Mumford, 40, from Southampton, left work an hour early so he could watch the Hoegh Osaka being towed back in. He said: 'It's great to see it being moved from the Solent, especially after nearly three weeks virtually on its side in the water. 'You could still see a very slight list but other than that it looks like any other ship coming into Southampton.' After the vessel beached, the 24 crew members and the pilot were evacuated from the leaning vessel during darkness in a dramatic air and sea rescue operation. At the time, 591ft ship was listing at 52 degrees. Four days later the ship, which sailing to Bremerhaven, Germany, floated free from the sandbank on high tide and has since been anchored at a spot two miles east called Alpha Anchorage, near Lee-on-the-Solent. The 19-day salvage operation was hampered by heavy winds, which were so strong during one storm that they even caused one of the tugs to collide with the vessel. Return journey: The 51,000-tonne Hoegh Osaka was towed back to Southampton today - almost three weeks after it was beached . Stranded: The vessel, which is carrying more than £30million worth of cargo, was grounded deliberately shortly after leaving Southampton . Recovery: The multi-million pound salvage mission, which was hampered by heavy winds and stormy weather, was completed today . Salvaged: Onlookers gathered on the seafront in Calshot, Hampshire, to watch the vessel as it was towed back to port in Southampton . An excavator that was on board shifted during the sailing and punched a hole in the side of the hull, which was quickly repaired. But some 3,000 tonnes of water entered the vessel and had to be pumped out and into empty fuel tanks on board. It was only then that salvage firm Svitzer was able to complete ballast management and bring the vessel back to a listing of five degrees. The condition of the cargo, which includes 1,200 Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles, 65 Mini cars and 105 pieces of JCB construction equipment, is not clear but further inspections are due now the ship has berthed. Nearly there: As darkness fell this evning, the ship continued its journey towards Southampton port, towed by a tug (pictured right) New position: Four days after beaching the ship, which sailing to Bremerhaven, Germany, floated free from the sandbank on high tide . Back to shore: Tug boats surround the Singapore-registered vessel as it was brought back to Southampton port this evening . Valuable: The condition of the cargo, which includes 1,200 Jaguar and Land Rover vehicles and 65 Minis, is not yet clear . Hugh Shaw, the Secretary of State's Representative for Maritime Salvage and Intervention (Sosrep), had said the vessel could not be brought back into port until the list had been sufficiently reduced. He explained this was to ensure the cargo hold doors could be opened in order for the cars and other vehicles to be discharged when it was brought alongside. However, early today it was decided that it was ready to head back to Southampton Port. During its journey, an exclusion zone around the vessel was in place, set at 1,000 metres ahead and behind and 100 metres either side. Righted: The ship needed to reach a list of five degrees before it could be brought back, so that cargo doors could be open in port . Operation: Salvage crews working in the Solent have been removing water from the vessel's car decks and managing its ballast . Progress: The ship, pictured on its journey back to Southampton Port, docked shortly after 5.30pm - more than an hour ahead of schedule . Frantic effort: The stricken ship was listing at 52 degrees when it was beached on January 3. Above, it was towed to an anchor point . Airspace around the cargo ship was also be restricted to one mile either side of the route as a safety precaution. An MCA spokeswoman said earlier today: 'The Hoegh Osaka is scheduled to arrive at Berth 101 in Southampton Port at 7pm. 'During the towing operation to bring the Hoegh Osaka in to Southampton Port, a restricted airspace (temporary) will be placed one mile either side of the navigation route and up to 2,000ft. This is designed to provide essential safety during the towing operation. 'There will also be an exclusion zone around the vessel itself of 3,280ft  ahead and behind and 328ft either side.'
deliberately on a sandbar as it left Southampton on January 3 after it started listing dangerously in a busy shipping lane with 25 crew aboard. The multi-million pound plan to re-right the 15-year-old ship - which needed to be done before it could be brought back to port - has faced a Return journey: The 51,000-tonne Hoegh Osaka was towed back to Southampton today - almost three after leaving Southampton . Recovery: The which sailing to Bremerhaven, Germany, floated