The Canadian Coast Guard reports the salvage teams working at the site of the grounded containership MSC Baltic III are continuing to make progress. They highlight that it remains an ongoing operation that is expected to take time.
Weather which had been a factor during the winter and early spring has improved giving the teams easier access to the vessel. In addition, one of the local mayors reported a light vehicle road was expected to be completed this week to give access for personnel into the remote area on the western shore of Newfoundland. The road is not for the removal of material from the ship.
Container removal has also begun in part to give the teams more access including to fuel tanks that they have so far not been able to reach. The Canadian Coast Guard reports approximately half of the heavy fuel has been removed in a process of heating it and pumping it to storage tanks placed on the deck of the vessel. It is then pumped into tanks on a barge and moved to Corner Brook where it is being loaded onto other MSC vessels. The Coast Guard estimates the vessel had approximately 1,600 metric tons of heavy fuel and marine gas oil onboard.
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