Salvage operations on the grounded containership MSC Baltic III are progressing steadily, with the Canadian Coast Guard reporting that approximately 85% of the vessel’s heavy fuel was successfully removed this week.
The vessel, which ran aground near Wild Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador, on February 15, remains lodged in its remote location, about 12 nautical miles from the Bay of Islands.
She was en route from Montreal to Corner Brook, Newfoundland, when she lost power and ran aground in treacherous sea conditions that prevented her from anchoring. All 20 crew members were safely evacuated by helicopter.
According to the Canadian Coast Guard, progress on salvaging the vessel continues.
“As of now, about 85% of the heavy fuel and 208 of the 472 containers on board have been removed from the ship. Fuel removal remains the top priority, with efforts shifting to oil in the engine room and smaller tanks,” the Coast Guard said in a statement.
“The EEMS Dublin remains in the area to facilitate the transfer of personnel and containers. As on-water and shoreline surveys continue, minor oil observations, such as tar stains and small tar balls, continue to be recorded in Cedar Cove and nearby shorelines.”
At the time of the incident, the MSC Baltic III was carrying an estimated 1.7 million litres of heavy fuel and marine gas oil, posing the risk of an environmental disaster.
A total of 208 of the 472 containers onboard have been offloaded. The ship’s cargo included food, lumber and paper supplies. More than half of the containers she was carrying were empty.
Environmental monitoring teams are continuing to conduct shoreline surveys.
Persistent adverse weather conditions have hampered the salvage operation, which has also been complex due to the vessel’s isolated position.
To ensure the safety of response teams and the public, an emergency and drone restriction zone extending one nautical mile around the vessel has been put in place.
