MSC BALTIC III

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All heavy fuel moved from inside tanks to the deck

As of July 16, the crews of T&T Salvage have now removed all of the bulk heavy fuel oil from inside the 'MSC Baltic III', and it has been moved up to the deck of the ship.The salvors have been pumping fuel daily, removing a total of roughly 1,300 cubic meters of heavy oil. The last of the fuel had to be heated for three days to between 60 and 70 degrees Celsius before it could be pumped out. While the removal of the bulk oil marked a significant step forward, officials caution that extensive work remained. The heavy fuel represented about 70 % of all fuel on board. 70 tons of hydraulic oil, lube oil, and fuel in the boiler room still needed to be removed. Of the 472 containers on the ship, 255 have been removed, leaving 217 on board. The salvage was facing challenges with some containers, including a shipment of lentils, which have filled with water and were now too heavy for the crane to lift. The complex operation is being monitored by several agencies. The focus will now shift to removing the remaining oils and tackling the challenge of the water-logged containers. Reports with photos and video: https://vocm.com/2025/07/17/274607/ https://www.saltwire.com/newfoundland-labrador/nl-shipwreck-salvage-reaches-pollution-mitigation-milestone

More than 1000 tons fuel removed

More than 1000 tons fuel aboard the 'MSC Baltic III' has been removed from the vessel. The heavy fuel oil was transferred to a barge, which was brouhgt alongside amid calmer summer weather, and then transported to the Port of Corner Brook for disposal. The ship had an etimated 1,600 tonnes of fuel oil aboard when it grounded, and the pollution prevention effort has reduced environmental risk for Newfoundland's pristine coastline significantly now. There were six priority tanks filled with heavy fuel on board that was almost all removed, but there were still other hydrocarbons on board, as there were many more tanks with different fuels in them, like diesel and hydraulics a.o., though in a lot less quantities, and they will require less heating as well. There may be one additional tank containing heavy fuel in the engine room, but a smaller one than the six main tanks. Removing the oil takes time because it has to be heated between 70 C and 80 C so it can be pumped out, which can be hard to achieve with short windows of opportunity to safely board the vessel. 208 of the 472 containers were also removed as pf July 10, as some were blocking access to the fuel tank. including some that were in extremely damaged condition. The operation to mitigate pollution risk from the cargo and fuel oil continued. The vessel remained wedged firmly on the rock, its hull seriously damaged from its time aground. A refloating attempt was considered impossible in its current condition. For now, the salvors hoped that the good weather would hold long enough to complete the lightering process before the hurricane season raises the risk again. The environmental monitoring persisted in the surrounding waters and shoreline. Observers continued to report minor oil pollution, including tar stains and small tar balls, particularly around Cedar Cove and nearby coastal areas. The authorities reminded the public of an emergency and drone restriction zone extending one nautical mile around the MSC Baltic III. This no-access zone is critical to ensure the safety of salvage crews and protect the public as operations were continued. Reports with photos: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/baltic-july-3-update-1.7575988 https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/2179275/msc-baltic-3-echoue-carburant-pompage-terre-neuve https://safety4sea.com/authorities-continue-salvage-of-container-ship-five-months-later/ https://www.saltwire.com/newfoundland-labrador/grounded-nl-cargo-ship-salvage-nears-milestone

208 containers and 85 % of heavy fuel removed

As of July 10, about 85% of the heavy fuel aboard the 'MSC Baltic III' has been safely transferred to other vessels. The ship, which ran aground near Wild Cove, Newfoundland on Feb 15, was carrying approximately 1.700 tons of fuel and marine gas oil. Crews continued to focus on removing the fuel from the engine room and smaller tanks. So far, 208 of the 472 containers have been offloaded. Minor oil traces remained on nearby shorelines. A one-nautical-mile safety zone remained in place around the vessel.