Residual oil was found spilling from the wreck of bulk carrier OS 35 (IMO 9172399) on September 21st, leading Gibraltar authorities to close the port again for an unspecified period. This included stopping all bunkering operations.
The OS 35 remained submerged on the seabed about half a mile from the eastern coastline of Gibraltar. It is encircled by a boom to mitigate further pollution threats, but has since nearly broken in two and has zero structural integrity as an entire vessel.
Gibraltar Port Authority said the latest spill involved oil onboard that could not be removed with pumps. Salvage teams have yet to decide on the best way to remove the shipwreck from the area.
The bulk carrier was leaving Gibraltar during the evening of August 29th to head to Vlissingen in the Netherlands, when it collided with LNG carrier Adam LNG (IMO 9501186),
which was heading into the Bay of Gibraltar. The LNG carrier was not damaged in the collision.
However, the OS 35 was beached on the East Side of the Rock after significant damage to the vessel’s starboard side. The ship was directed to the East Side by the Port Authority to ensure it could be beached, to minimize the risk to the ship and its crew.
The 73-metre-long forward section was firmly planted on the seabed in 17 metres of water, while the aft section, which measures 105 metres in length, initially remained afloat. The two sections were still connected by “cracked, bent and buckled steel,”
Gibraltar authorities approved Resolve’s heavy weather plan to lower the aft section in a controlled manner in order to stabilize it on the seabed.
All recoverable oil has been removed the wreck, but fuel residues and debris remained on board, and it was feared that these could be released into the environment if the section broke loose.
1999-built, Tuvalu-flagged, 20,947 gt OS 35 is owned by Oldstone Cargo Ltd care of manager Oldstone Management Ltd of Piraeus, Greece. It is entered with British Marine on behalf of Oldstone Cargo Ltd.
2014-built, Marshall Islands-flagged, 105,975 gt Adam LNG is owned by Adam Maritime Transportation care of Oman Ship Management Co SAOC of Muscat, Oman. It is entered with North of England Club on behalf of Oman Ship Management Co SAOC.
