Salvage of marine oil to begin today

Press, 29 May 1981, Page 1

Salvage of marine oil to begin today

PA Wellington The recovery of 800 tonnes of oil from the grounded Pacific Charger should start at midday today. A salvage spokesman. Captain Craig Harris, said last evening that the heavy marine oil had been transferred to the shore side of the ship ready for pumping.

Three special pumping units from the Marine Division of the Ministry of Transport arrived from Auckland on Tuesday. The oil will be pumped into three holding tanks on shore. It will then be taken to the BP plant at Waiwhetu.

Water and other impurities would be removed from the oil through a heat process, a BP spokesman said.

BP had agreed to buy the oil after being approached by the salvage company, he said. Captain Harris said an oil-water detector flown in from Singapore on Wednesday night would reduce the pollution risk. Work at Baring Head yesterday had been suc-

cessful, he said. A ground tackle had been laid by the Wellington Harbour tug Toia about 1000 m out to sea, “just where we wanted it.”

A heavy southerly swell had created problems in getting the tug and an equipment barge alongside the Pacific Charger. Pumping and equipment repairs had been carried out.

The Pacific Charger ran aground during a storm

last Thursday. Crew, salvage experts, divers, Marine Division personnel, and fire brigade and Harbour Board staff are involved in the salvage work.

Captain Harris said that although the weather forecast was good there could be other problems “so I cannot put a time on it. yet,” he said. The ship is reported to be holed in several places below the waterline.