MSC BALTIC III

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Latest news

Tar balls found near wreck

There were renewed concerns about pollution coming from the 'MSC Baltic III', after some small tar balls were found on the beach near the vessel last week. The Canadian Coast Guard collected the tarry substances, approximately the size of tennis balls, for analysis. No other oil has been observed on the water or the shoreline. An underwater survey was conducted on April 13 with no signs of oil. The vessel still contains about 1.700 tons of heavy fuel and marine gas oil. The salvage company hired to clean up and remove the wreck has resumed the process of heating and pumping oil from the vessel into tanks on the deck. A barge will be brought alongside the vessel when the weather allows, to transfer the oil onto tanks onto the barge. The Coast Guard sremained on-site and was working with the salvage company to ensure that contaminant are removed from the vessel as quickly as possible.

Lark is not pleased due to a lack of commitment to build a road - Coast Guard remains on scene

Lark Harbour Mayor Wade Park stated that the town is not pleased due to a lack of commitment to build a road to the 'MSC Baltic III' to allow for quicker salvage and clean up. The Coast Guard stated: “Canada follows the “polluter pay principle”. This means vessel owners are responsible for addressing all the hazards and risk of pollution posed by their vessel as well as all the associated costs. MSC has contracted T&T Salvage for removal of the heavy fuel oil and cargo on board the MSC Baltic III to mitigate the immediate hazards posed by the vessel. Eastern Canada Response Corporation has also been engaged by the vessel operator. Their role is to take actions to help prevent a spill and respond should one occur.’ CCG recognizes the impacts of weather on the timeliness of the operations and is committed to continue working in collaboration with MSC to advance contingency planning. Area residents and harvesters in particular have been growing increasingly concerned, fearful that potential pollution on board the compromised vessel, and the added activity in the area, will disrupt the fishing season. The Coast Guard said that Canada follows a “polluter pay” principle whereby the owners are responsible for addressing all the costs, hazards and the risk of pollution posed by their vessel. The Coast Guard resources remained on site in Lark, with additional pollution response equipment available and assets were in place to ensure that the owner is taking appropriate and reasonable measures to address all hazards posed by the vessel, including the remaining fuel and oil on board. Report with photos: https://vocm.com/2025/04/14/coast-guard-remains-on-scene-of-baltic-iii-salvage-efforts/

Fuel being pumped into frac tanks

Salvage operations aboard the ‘MSC Baltic III’ were gaining momentum and progressing well due to better weather conditions with the heating and pumping of the fuel. No oil or fuel has yet leaked from the vessel. The Canadian Coast Guard continued on-water and shoreline assessments of the gronding site. Ongoing tank soundings have reduced the original estimate of heavy fuel and marine gas on the vessel from 1710 metric tons to 1600 metric tons. As of Aoril 4,184 cubic metres of fuel has been pumped into frac tanks onboard the container ship. MSC is planning to pump the fuel from the frac tanks onboard the 'MSC Baltic III' to frac tanks onboard a barge for removal from the site. This is because once the frac tanks onboard the vessel are full, they will be too heavy to lift onto the barge. The fuel isn't being pumped from the 'MSC Baltic III' directly into the frac tanks on the barge because the heating and pumping is a time-consuming process and requires the barge to be alongside the vessel for an extended period of time. This is challenging with the weather and sea conditions in the area. Environment and Climate Change Canada has installed a mobile weather station at the site to help provide improved weather service in the area. Floating docks have been installed to accommodate Canadian Coast Guard assets to reduce vessel congestion in the area. The Canadian Coast Guard maintains oversight of the operations to ensure a reasonable and appropriate response as there is still an on-going risk that pollution could enter the marine environment. Officials from the Coast Guard wanted to build a road to the vessel, which has to be taken apart and removed since there is too much structural damage to tow the ship. the Mayor of Lark Harbour, Wade Park, stated that plans to construct that road have hit a hurdle and they were trying to find out who owns a piece of land they need to cross. It is not owned by anyone in the town. Reports with photos: https://en.flows.be/shipping/2025/04/salvage-operation-msc-baltic-iii-gaining-momentum-due-to-better-weather/ https://www.frequencynews.ca/news/plans-to-build-a-road-to-a-stranded-cargo-ship-in-cedar-cove-have-hit-a-hurdle/