All heavy fuel oil could be removed from the grounded Lomar Shipping boxship Kea Trader by next week.
The company told TradeWinds that the lightering operation, led by salvor Ardent, was well underway on the 2,194-teu ship (built 2017), which remains stable on the Durand Reefs after grounding off New Caledonia in the Pacific Ocean on 12 July.
Oil is being moved from the vessel in tanks, by helicopter, onto the nearby Chasseloup barge, "given adverse sea conditions have made it impossible to extract the fuel direct to barges," it added.
The operation began on 27 July and by the end of Wednesday almost half of the 750 tonnes of heavy fuel oil will have been removed or consumed onboard.
Oil spill prevention measures and equipment remain on site ready to rapidly deploy anti-pollution apparatus, should this be needed, in a detailed plan approved by the authorities in New Caledonia.
Attention will then turn to the removal of Kea Trader’s load of 756 containers, 553 of which were being carried empty for onward cargo shipments.
"This forms part of a detailed plan for re-floating the vessel, which is currently being finalised," it said.
A team of 40 specialist personnel from various companies are now directly involved, with a fleet of vessels supporting activities on site.
A Lomar spokesman said: “Our salvage team is making very good progress and with favourable conditions the operation to extract heavy fuel oil from Kea Trader should be completed next week.
"Once finished, a detailed strategy for the complex task of removing containers and re-floating the vessel, whilst also protecting the local marine environment, can then move ahead.”
The ship was sailing from Papeete, in French Polynesia, to Noumea, the capital of New Caledonia at the time of the grounding.
