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Salvage operations continue on sunken vessel
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Posted on Jul 20 2004
Salvage and pollution efforts continue on the derelict fishing vessel F/V Mwaalil Saat, which sank during Typhoon Tingting at the Able Dock of the Port of Saipan.
Oil recovery and salvage contractors from South Pacific Environmental and Titan Maritime LLC have been working to remove the vessel from the ecologically sensitive waters of Tanapag Harbor.
Others involved in the salvage operations are the U.S. Coast Guard, Commonwealth Ports Authority, Emergency Management Office, Coastal Resource Management, and the Division of Environmental Quality.
Titan, which was hired by the U.S. Coast Guard, arrived on the island earlier this month to begin the salvage operations. The vessel will be broken into four or five sections and removed from harbor waters in the coming weeks. Leading up to the cutting operations, which began this week, Titan has been removing oil, debris, and hazards that remained on the vessel and immediate vicinity.
To date, the contractors have successfully recovered more than 2,000 gallons of diesel, hydraulic fluid, and oil from the vessel and boomed containment area.
South Pacific Environmental has also been on scene ready to respond to any spills or releases that may occur during operations, and have been managing the oil with absorbing sweeps and booms.
The CPA has issued a no wake zone extending 300 yards out into Tanapag Harbor in the vicinity of Able Dock to reduce the threat to underwater welders while salvage operations are in progress. (PR)
