Salvors Reach Samoa To Remove Fuel From Sunken New Zealand Navy Ship HMNZS Manawanui

A deck barge has reached Apia to remove the remaining fuel from HMNZS Manawanui, New Zealand’s Survey and Salvage Ship which ran aground and sank off Samoa on October 5, 2024.

Getting approvals was challenging and it took ten weeks for the Navy of New Zealand to choose a commercial salvor. Work will commence as soon as the last approvals are received and the contractor is ready with everything at the site.

The salvors’ tug and barge have reached Apia, Samoa and the crew are setting up their fuel extraction equipment and clearing the decks for dive operations.

They will also decide on the location of the mooring system that will hold the barge steady next to the reef when the fuel is pumped out.

NZDF’s cleanup operation commander, Commodore Andrew Brown said that it is a complicated task but it must be done thoroughly. As in all salvage operations, the weather and state of the sea will decide the timeline and determine what and how much the team can accomplish.

HMNZS Manawanui — Image Credits: NZDF/Facebook

Local officials and elders organised a ceremony for blessing and good fortune for the barge and dive team, in line with Samoan customs.

Residents are quite invested in the process and fishermen from nearby villages report that they smelled diesel floating with the tide. They discussed organising a lawsuit to seek compensation.

The NZDF emphasised that releases are tiny and the vast majority of the ship’s fuel is in tanks.

Commodore Brown added that safely removing the fuel and other pollutants from HMNZS Manawanui is critical and that New Zealand will do the right thing since we know how vital coastal and marine environments are to the Samoan people, especially on the southwest of Upolu.

An investigation found that the bridge team on the survey ship left autopilot on and then tried to make manual course corrections with helm controls, which led to the ship running aground. Three members of the bridge team could face disciplinary action.

References: Shipping Telegraph

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