The oil removal operation from the sunken Baltic Ace will be performed by marine salvage and response company Svitzer, based in the Netherlands.
Baltic Ace, a car carrier built in 2007 which sank on December 5th in the North Sea after collision with containership Corvus J, was carrying about 466 tonnes of heavy fuel oil and about 55 tonnes of diesel oil at the time of the accident.
The Dutch Navy will carry out the inspection of the wrecked vessel in order to find bodies of the missing sailors as soon as weather conditions permit. Svitzer will commence an oil pumping operation after their crew finish preparation and find the best way to protect marine environment during the oil removal.
The oil from the Baltic Ace will be pumped from the vessel’s tanks and transferred to a diving support vessel. The operation depends on weather and it is expected to take between two and four weeks.
The water depth at the site is about 36 meters with some 6 meters between the Baltic Ace and the surface. Buoys are marking the location of the wreck.
[mappress]
World Maritime News Staff, December 11, 2012