John Culatto
THE OS 35 shipwreck must be fully removed from its location 700m off Catalan Bay by May 30 next year, the Captain of Gibraltar Port has ordered.
Captain of the Port John Ghio issued his Wreck Removal Notice to the bulk carrier’s shipowners bearing in mind ‘the protection of the marine environment’.
The Notice also demands that owners or insurers refund the port authority for all the costs of the clean-up and damage the OS 35 has caused.
It came after the salvage company gave a schedule for the removal of the ship that beached at the end of August.
The operation will continue to watch over the waterlogged OS 35 for any new pollution and security threats.
The company will then invite a contractor with a good track record to remove the wreck, which will take about six months to complete.
“Whilst the precise methodology for the removal of the OS 35 and its contents has not yet been established, this preliminary schedule is an important development in the operation,” Ghio said in the statement.
“It confirms the intentions of the owners and their insurers to comply with the deadline and conditions specified in the Wreck Removal Notice.”
The Captain of the Port briefed everyone affected by the wreck including Catalan Bay residents and the Spanish authorities on what was agreed.
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