John Culatto
AFTER a calm night at the site of the beached bulk carrier, the salvage team continues to remove more objects and fuel residues that could pollute the sea if the situation worsens.
Aided by calm seas, the Dutch tug ‘Multicat Nero’ has used its two large cranes to fork out objects from the wreckage of the beached OS 35 under the direction of local salvage crews, the Gibraltar Government reported in a statement.
Since arriving in Gibraltar it has removed over 50 big bags with loose items and paint, 22 drums, mattresses and 10 oily waste bags, the Gibraltar Government reported. It is now clearing out the cold store and provisions.
It marks the tail-end of a busy week for salvage crews.
On Thursday, the salvage team started to examine the fuel tanks for any remaining oil residue which could be pumped out.
Barges have already extracted the large majority of fuel oil, diesel and lubricant oil after the ship was forced to run aground as a result of a collision with the ADAM LNG at the end of August.
As the incident has become less of an emergency, the Gibraltar port restarted non-bunkering operations as it gradually returns to normal.
Authorities have received no new reports of sheen coming to shore.
Workers have repaired the damaged Sandy Bay oil barrier, adding an extra 25 metres to seal shut the beach.
They are also laying down a 100m hybrid boom with both curtain and absorbent properties at Little Bay to further protect the sea intakes for freshwater plants.
It followed fears that the Reverse Osmosis units could be threatened by the free-floating oil.
Oil spill experts directed government workers supported by the Department of the Environment to clean the entrance to Gorham’s Cave near Europa Point.
Oil Spill Response Limited specialists are now surveying the damage to the beaches and coastline, the government reported.
READ MORE:
- Pumping of oil from Gibraltar shipwreck continues after busy weekend cleaning up spill after-effects
- Fuel oil from stricken cargo ship reaches western Gibraltar coastline threatening water supply
- ‘Crumpled’ bulker off Gibraltar’s Catalan Bay remains ‘stable’ with no new leaks detected
