The operation to recover and remove debris from the sea, the seabed, and the shore began yesterday, following the destruction of the two vessels at Cape Greco last Saturday. The Deputy Ministry of Maritime Affairs told CNA that the timeline for the work is seven business days, while the Department of Fisheries continues its daily inspections for potential pollution.
Speaking to KYPE about the progress of the process, the Deputy Director General of the Deputy Ministry of Shipping, Theodoulos Mesimeris, stated that after the bad weather subsided, the Deputy Ministry, in collaboration with the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research, proceeded to assess the situation both on the sea surface and on the seabed, with the assistance of divers.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
As he explained, all debris, materials, and objects from the two vessels were documented to serve as the basis for their immediate removal.
Mr. Mesimeris noted that the owner of one of the vessels and the two insurance companies were notified immediately, as the removal of the wreckage involves both the owners and the insurance companies. As for the owner of the second vessel, he noted, no notification was sent due to the period of mourning.
On Monday, August 31, the Deputy Ministry of Shipping initiated the procurement process, and, as Mr. Mesimeris stated, the contract was awarded to a specialized private company for the recovery of all items.
At the same time, the company is expected to be prepared to respond to any pollution incident that might arise during the removal of the wrecks and objects.
“Yesterday, Tuesday, September 1, the private company deployed all its resources and installed protective barriers on site. So, as of yesterday, the process of removing all objects and shipwrecks has begun,” stated the Deputy Director General of the Deputy Ministry of Shipping.
The timeline set is seven business days, with the work involving the removal of all objects from the sea, the seabed, and the shore.
According to Mr. Mesimeris, relevant agencies are on site, including the Port Police, the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research, and the Deputy Ministry of Maritime Affairs, while representatives of insurance companies are also present.
The next phase involves the temporary storage of the items. For this purpose, space has been secured by the Ports Authority at the port of Larnaca, where they will be temporarily transferred.
Subsequently, in consultation with the two insurance companies, a procedure for managing the materials will be implemented. Any items deemed to be waste will be sent to waste management facilities.
In the event that liquid waste is generated during the work, according to Mr. Mesimeris, will be collected by the private company and transported to a specialized facility for the management of petroleum-based waste.
The total cost of the work, as he noted, was awarded at nearly 170,000 euros.
Inspections for Possible Pollution
For his part, the Head of the Maritime Service of the Department of Fisheries and Marine Research, Antonis Pappous, told CNA that on Sunday, August 30, Department personnel traveled to the area to conduct inspections regarding possible oil pollution.
As he said, nothing was found on the surface, other than a smell in the area where the rocks were located.
Mr. Pappous stated that the vessels’ tanks contained gas oil, which, as he explained, evaporates.
At the same time, the Department of Fisheries conducted an inspection and survey of the seabed using a diver to determine what was there, such as tanks, engines, and other objects that might have contained oil.
By Sunday afternoon, the divers had completed their work, and, according to Mr. Pappou, video footage was taken of the seabed survey, and the findings were documented.
“There did not appear to be any issue regarding oil pollution,” he said.
Mr. Pappou noted that the Department of Fisheries has a vessel on-site daily, conducting patrols to monitor for potential pollution. The vessel, he said, will remain in the area until the wreck recovery operations are completed.
Once the work is complete, the Department of Fisheries will send divers back to the area to verify that it has been cleaned up and that the environment has returned to its previous condition.
Regarding the location of the wreck, Mr. Pappous stated that the depth ranges from one and a half to four and a half meters, while the wreck is located approximately five meters from the rocks, out in the sea.
Source: CNA
