Canadian Coast Guard Reports Progress on MSC Baltic III Salvage

 

The weather conditions in the areas around Canada’s Newfoundland have given salvage teams their first opportunities to make progress on the efforts to reduce the pollution risk from the grounded containership MSC Baltic III. The Canadian Coast Guard highlights the dangers remain, but that no pollution has been observed so far from the stranded vessel.

“The tug and barge, contracted by MSC, were able to go alongside the MSC Baltic III to load some frac tanks and a containment boom onboard the vessel,” said the Canadian Coast Guard in its latest update. “The frac tanks will be used to store and offload the fuel.”

The containership blacked out and was driven ashore in a remote cove on Newfoundland’s western shore on February 15 not far from Corner Brook. The Coast Guard along with T&T Salvage have reported that the efforts however were complicated by the remote location and winter weather which has included high winds and ice in the cove. 

The priority is the fuel and other potential contaminants aboard the vessel. The salvage teams after inspecting the 680-foot (207-meter) vessel reported that it was resting on the seabed but that the hull had experienced significant damage. They said there is water in the cargo holds and the engine room and that the vessel cannot be safely refloated at this time. Tank soundings confirmed approximately 1.7 million liters of heavy fuel and marine gas oil are onboard the vessel.

The Coast Guard reports that several containers that were carrying polymeric beads (plastic nurdles) which are considered dangerous goods have been removed from the vessel. MSC Mediterranean Shipping had previously said those containers had been secured to reduce the danger of the contents being released. 

The fuel aboard the vessel will need to be heated before it can be pumped from the tanks. MSC and its salvage company have proposed several salvage options, including loading the fuel and containers onto barges or also using an access road onshore. However, the road requires upgrades to get the heavy equipment to the area where the ship came to rest.

Local news media reports that the efforts are ongoing and fishermen are hoping that it will make progress by the end of the month. The local fishing season opens on April 1 and the concern is for access to the areas as well as the continued danger from pollution.