Salvage operation ongoing aboard cargo vessel in the Minches


Salvage operations continue onboard the cargo vessel MV Kaami after it ran aground in the Minches last month.



Pollutants are being removed from the vessel by salvage company Resolve and they are also preparing for the removal of cargo. Salvors and specialist divers are carrying out onboard and underwater surveys to assist with the intended re-floating and eventual removal of the vessel. The salvage is overseen by the Secretary of State’s Representative for Maritime Salvage and Intervention supported by the MCA, salvors, the ship’s insurers and the Scottish Environment Group.




So far, specialist salvage teams have removed most of the remaining fuel and contaminated seawater from onboard fuel tanks for recycling and disposal ashore. The fuel removal operation is nearing completion.  In addition, salvors have removed most other pollutants and loose material, such as paints, ropes and buoys, as these might hamper future operations and had the potential to impact on the environment and wildlife. This material has also been sent for recycling and disposal ashore



The MCA Counter Pollution Team and the HM Coastguard fixed wing aircraft are continuing to support operations. Regular monitoring flights are carried out to provide aerial footage and detect and assess any pollution. It is believed that around 28 cubic metres of diesel have escaped from the ship following the grounding. The Scottish Environment Group is aware and has assessed the impact of the pollution as low and nonpersistent.





Work is ongoing by the salvors to contract and prepare a suitable barge in the Western Isles to enable cargo-offload when weather and sea conditions allow for safe operations.  Arrangements for dealing with the offloaded cargo are being developed in consultation with the waste regulator Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and other partner organisations.



Divers were able to briefly enter the water on Tuesday (March 31) but sea conditions precluded a full survey of the seabed area around the ship. This will continue when conditions allow.



It is assessed that current and forecast weather conditions will impose a delay to the ongoing work, but all efforts are being made to resolve the incident as quickly and safely as possible.



A temporary exclusion zone of 500 metres remains in place around MV Kaami to all but those vessels directly involved in supporting the response. The Maritime Accident Investigation Branch is carrying out an investigation remotely with assistance from the salvors.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Five ships detained after inspection following concerns raised about crew welfare

Image
Five out of the six ships inspected today by Maritime and Coastguard Agency surveyors have been detained. The Astoria, Astor, Colombus and Vasco de Gama at Tilbury have all been detained. The Marco Polo at Bristol has also been detained following its inspection. All five are from the same company – Global Cruise Lines Limited. Four of the vessels are flagged with the Bahamas and one with Portugal (Madeira) . Surveyors found a number of expired and invalid Seafarers Employment Agreements, late payment of wages and crews who had been on board for over 12 months. All these are in breach of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) and the ships have been detained for that reason.  Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps said: “The welfare of seafarers is of the utmost importance and we take any reports of safety concerns around crew incredibly seriously. "Following today’s investigation, five ships have been detained and we will not hesitate to continue to use every po...
Read more

Oral exams to be held online under plans from Maritime and Coastguard Agency

Image
Engineering oral exams will commence online from 11 May under new plans announced by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. In addition, the MCA is also actively working on plans to provide an online way of carrying out Deck oral exams. Marine offices will get in contact with candidates who had previously had theirs cancelled to arrange new dates but everyone is being asked not to get in touch while the backlog is cleared. Katy Ware, Director of Maritime Safety and Standards said: ‘We completely understand people are anxious to get their all important exams done but we can’t accept any new oral exam bookings until we have cleared the backlog of those who had theirs cancelled because of Covid-19.’ ‘We will publish a MIN later this month to provide further guidance on accepting new applications for oral exams. The MIN will also provide timelines for the future booking of exams; for those who hold Notice of Eligibilities (NOEs), those who have applied for NOEs and those who are abou...
Read more

Shortlist of bidders announced for the next decade of Coastguard search and rescue aviation

Image
The shortlist of companies being invited to tender for the next generation of search and rescue aviation has been announced by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. From today (10 June), the shortlisted bidders will be invited to tender for the UK Second-Generation Search and Rescue Aviation programme – known as UKSAR2G – to provide HM Coastguard search and rescue helicopters, planes and remotely piloted drones. The UKSAR2G invitation to tender will be issued to these shortlisted bidders to provide their responses by the end of August this year: Lot 1: Rotary, shorter endurance with standard carriage capacity for short range rescue work Bristow Helicopters Ltd EEA Helicopters Operations B.V Serco Limited Lot 2: Rotary; High endurance with larger carriage capacity for long range/multiple casualty rescues Bristow Helicopters Ltd EEA Helicopters Operations B.V. Serco Limited Lot 3: Fixed-wing, manned and potentially unmanned for rapid search, surveillance and pollution identification 2Excel...
Read more