Australian Government Steps in to Remove Christmas Island Shipwreck

The Australian Government has stepped in to remove the wreck of the MV Tycoon from the Port of Christmas Island.

The vessel broke free of its moorings and crashed into cliffs on 8 January 2012, and is now a wreck.

Removal of the wreck is normally the responsibility of the owner. However, as the owner has not taken any practical action to commence a salvage or wreck removal operation, the Australian Government has stepped in to arrange the operation.

The wreck removal will be undertaken by a contractor to the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) and managed through a cooperative agreement between AMSA and the Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport. The contractor is Titan Maritime (Australia) Pty. Ltd.

Divers will survey the wreck site soon and develop a wreck removal plan.

The registered owner of the vessel is Tycoon Navigation SA, based in Singapore.

Once the operation commences, arrangements will be made to minimise disruption to port operations. The Christmas Island community will come first during this operation to ensure their safety, as well as restoring vital maritime infrastructure.

The Australian Government has approved funding for the removal of the wreck and remediation work at the site. The government will take action to recover costs from the owner.

It is expected the wreck removal will take several months.