Recovery of materials on the seabed continue

While lead agencies continue planning the removal of the stern of the MSC Napoli from Lyme Bay, contractors DRS, employed by the ship’s owners to clean up the East Devon beaches are still recovering debris.

Divers are working in four key areas close to shore where sonar has identified concentrations of debris, between Littlecombe and Sherbourne Rocks near Beer Head.

Last week divers, with the vessel Terramare, recovered engines, container parts, car panels and other car parts washed overboard within containers when the incident first occurred.

The Terramare is bringing the material into the DRS compound on Branscombe beach for recycling and onward removal.

9 containers, of the original 2,300 on the vessel, remain unaccounted for, although using the ship’s manifest, the authorities know that their contents are non hazardous.

Meanwhile, Zodiac, the ship’s owners, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the Dutch salvage contractors SMIT are working towards removal of the stern, weather depending and with all the preparations done, hopefully in November.

Devon County Council’s Executive Member for the Environment, and resident of Branscombe, Cllr Margaret Rogers, said:

We’ve had our worries about oil coming ashore, in however little quantity, but I’m pleased that that seems to be largely behind us now.  I’m also pleased with the ongoing work to bring back to shore submerged materials.  

Last week DRS filled three 40 foot skips with material to remove and the operation is going well while the weather remains fine.  For their continued presence we have the ship’s owners to thank, and we’re grateful for that while the vessel remains in the Bay and while there’s material still to come ashore as the weather worsens."