Under an agreement with the Canadian Coast Guard, wreck removal specialist Ardent Global LLC. completed the removal of the oil that was still in the storage tanks of the ‘Manolis L’ wreck. The Liberian-flagged timber carrier sank in Newfoundland and Labrador’s Notre Dame Bay in 1985 along with its toxic fuel oil, after running aground on Blowhard Rocks.
When the Manolis L sank in 1985, it was estimated to be carrying 462 cubic metres of oil. The oil was contained within the ship, until a storm in 2013 cracked the hull, causing oil leak. The Canadian Coast Guard was able to contain some of that oil.
A technical assessment by the Coast Guard in September 2016 indicated that 115-150 cubic metres of hydrocarbons remained trapped in the wreck, making the ship a ‘pollution ticking time bomb’. Meanwhile, diver assessment was hampered by the extreme pressure.
However, efforts to safely pump out the oil began on 8 August 2018 with remotely operated vessels. During the oil removal over the weekend, the Canadian Coast Guard and Transport Canada were on site monitoring the operation.
