MSC Baltic III to be Cut Into Sections and Pulled Ashore for Recycling
The removal phase of the salvage operation for the wrecked containership MSC Baltic III is getting underway in Newfoundland, Canada, with the goal of clearing as much as possible this season but possibly not finishing until 2027. The ship has been lodged in a remote cove on Newfoundland since it lost power on February 15, 2025, with the first focus being on removing as much of the potential pollutants as possible.
In a briefing hosted by the Canadian Coast Guard on May 4, they reviewed the plan that has been presented for the removal of the vessel. MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company and its insurers ran a tender and selected Resolve Marine for the second phase of the process, after T&T Salvage oversaw the removal of the fuel and cargo from the ship.
The new contract was awarded on April 7, and as of May 1, Resolve Marine has begun overseeing the caretaking and monitoring operation. It reports it is working with T&T and already has the first of its crew on site. It has already begun surveys of the wreck and the surrounding area.
Todd Schauer, Project Team Lead for Resolve Marine, reports the selected method expedites removing the remaining potential pollutants and deals with what he calls a difficult marine environment and a short season for the salvage work. He highlighted the difficulty reaching the wreck from the waterside, although Resolve will put a 450-ton crane barge alongside and crew workboats.
The goal is to address the wreck before it breaks apart further. The plan calls for cutting off the bow section of the vessel in the area where the ship has cracked. Resolve will weld connectors to the hull and use its chain pullers to bring the bow section forward. It will be cut into 10-ton pieces that will be loaded on trucks and removed for recycling.
The team will start by addressing the 63 remaining containers that are aboard the ship. They are mostly damaged and waterlogged in the cargo holds. They plan to remove them for remediation as quickly as possible. The focus is on the safety of the crew, the area, and the environment. Once the bow section is pulled to shore, they will also use specialized teams to open the fuel tanks for further remediation. As the vessel is cut down, they will pull more pieces ashore.
They will use a similar process to remove the stern section after removing the accommodation block. Schauer said the exact process for removal would depend on the rock pillars that had broken into the hull. They may cut the stern into two sections and possibly rotate it to pull it ashore.
Bruce English, Senior Response Officer, Marine Environmental and Hazards Response for the Canadian Coast Guard, highlights that all the bulk fuel, approximately 1,700 metric tons, was removed last year, before winter storms overtook the area, and they have only experienced small tar balls and minor staining, which were quickly cleaned up. Some debris has also washed off the ship during the winter storms.
“While the vessel is currently stable, it is in poor condition,” reported English. “There is significant damage to the hull, including a crack in the port side and buckling on the starboard side. There is also a worsening crack on the deck of the vessel.”
A total of 409 of the 472 containers were removed during 2025. Many were empties, but some also contained dangerous goods.
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Canada works on a “polluter pays” approach, with the Coast Guard monitoring the operation. They report that there is also close coordination with the local communities. Resolve also reports it is working with the Port of Stephenville as their staging area and support. It will reduce the impact on the main port at Corner Brook. They expect a team of 40 to 50 people and will be working with two local contractors for most of the work.
To undertake the removal phase of the operation, Resolve will be making further improvements to the access road that was created to Cedar Cove in 2025. They will also be extending it down to the beach. At the end of the salvage operation, Resolve reports that the area will be returned to its original condition.