ôMSC Napoli” air pipe leak kills birds
Five tons of oil fuel leaked Wednesday from an air pipe of the container ship 'MSC Napoli,' beached off England's Devon coast, killing an estimated 600 birds.
The leak, causing a slick several kilometers long and 30 meters wide, has since been plugged. The slick was boomed and sprayed with dispersant and has now dissipated, according to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
Salvors Tuesday started the operation to pump the 3,500 tons of oil from the stricken vessel, at 30 tons per hour, although the crew is unable to work between midnight and first light and has to take breaks for heath and safety reasons. A second crew is en route and it is hoped that 24-hour pumping will soon be possible.
The managers of the vessel, London-based Zodiac Maritime Agencies Ltd., said the operation to discharge the containers will commence during the weekend when two barges will have arrived from Rotterdam in the Netherlands and Rouen in France.
The program for discharging the containers will be based on two priorities, firstly recovering the 161 containers carrying chemicals and, secondly, lifting those containers that will most reduce stresses on the hull, Zodiac said.
The 'MSC Napoli' was carrying 2,394 containers of which 103 were lost from the vessel and so far 70 have been accounted for — 50 recovered from the beach and 20 located in shallow water and awaiting recovery.
Branscombe Beach, the scene of people scavenging among containers washed ashore, taking with them a range of goods including motorbikes, has been cleared and fenced off to allow private contractors to clear the debris.
To counter the growing black market in 'MSC Napoli'-related goods — which not only includes items taken from the containers but such things as maps to the site and Mediterranean Shipping Co.'s free weekly sailing schedule — the Receiver of Wreck is working with Internet auction site e-Bay to retrieve items.
The MCA has reminded any person that has already acquired items from the wreck to report it to the Receiver of Wreck. A form is available at https://www.mcga.gov.uk/ROW.
?MSC Napoli” air pipe leak kills birds
