Anticipating heavy weather, officials in Gibraltar agreed to a plan to scuttle the stern section of the grounded OS 35 bulk carrier in place off the city’s coast.
The controlled sinking of the stern was suggested by the salvage team as the best course to minimize environmental impacts due to the heavy weather expected in Gibraltar on September 18 and 19.
The OS 35 is currently broken in two sections; the 73-meter-long forward section which is planted on the seabed and an aft section, measuring 105 meters, which remains afloat. The sections are connected by “cracked, bent and buckled steel,” according to the latest update from Gibraltar Port Authority.
Gibraltar has now approved the heavy weather plan, which involves sinking) the aft section in a controlled manner to stabalize it on the seabed
As of now, all recoverable oil has been removed the wreck, but there is a chance that fuel residues and debris could be released into the environment.
The plan proposed by Resolve to stabilise the aft section on the seabed is the best option available to prevent further damage to the vessel and pollution that is likely to occur in heavy weather
said The Captain of the Port, John Ghio.
After the bulker collision with an LNG carrier on August 30 off Gibraltar, the Gibraltar Contingency Council declared it “major incident,” as the hull of the bulker “OS 35” ruptured and leaks were spotted in the area.
The Gibraltar Port Authority (GPA) further informed that a leak of HFO was observed from the grounded bulker.
