From the MSC Napoli Response Centre

SEAWARD

Despite the rough sea conditions, there is no change to the vessel's condition.

Pumping out from the marine diesel oil tank in the engine room continued yesterday.  There remains a very small amount of heavy fuel oil in one other tank, but the amount is insignificant and is not considered to pose an environmental threat.  Skimming is continuing in Number 6 Hold.

The crane barge, Big Foot, arrived back on site yesterday and resumed the container lifting operation.  From over 800 containers on deck initially after beaching, there are now less than 200 of the deck containers left.  The shuttle barge, discharging its load at Portland Port today, will return on site on Saturday morning.

The MSC Grace, the feeder vessel that will assist with the removal of containers from Big Foot, is expected to be in the area at midday on Monday, rather than Sunday as first hoped.  This vessel will take containers directly from the shuttle barge and Big Foot for onward transfer to Le Havre, rather than being taken first to Portland Port.  It is anticipated that the MSC Grace will take about 36 hours to load.  It will return to site again after discharge at Le Havre.

Identification has begun of the third row of containers in the body of the vessel.  This will confirm to the salvage team and authorities the contents of those containers.

One of the located submerged containers is releasing its contents - black rubber gloves were floating to the surface yesterday close to Branscombe beach which at first glance appeared from a distance to be oil.

Sheen is still visible around the starboard side of the engine room

Poor sea conditions yesterday further prevented diving and sonar operations.

The exclusion zone around the vessel remains in force.  No infringements have been reported.

ONSHORE

Approximately 3 to 400 of the containers at Portland Port will be transferred on to Le Havre on Monday now, rather than Sunday.  The transfer vessel will return to Portland Port on 2nd March 2007 if it encounters no hold up.

Work is continuing on the shoreline by the clean up contractors.  The contractors have overcome some equipment and power problems and break up and removal of containers from Branscombe is continuing.  Litter picking at Budleigh Salterton has been carried out.  There are reports of more (once frozen) ducks washing ashore at Weston Mouth, which the contractors will remove.  Some oiled debris is continuing to arrive on beaches with each high tide, and the contractor is patrolling the beaches regularly and will respond.

Owners of the beach at Branscombe, the National Trust, have requested that the beach remains closed for the short period until all of the deck containers are off the vessel.  Once the deck containers are off, the risk of containers washing ashore is signficantly reduced.  Notices are being posted to that affect.

Oiled birds at Branscombe have been handed to the RSPCA.  Further afield, oiled birds at Alum Chine, Poole, and as far away as Bournemouth, have been reported although there is no evidence at this stage to say that the condition of these birds is linked to the Napoli incident.