Gibraltar has said the bulk carrier that grounded off its shores and leaked oil no longer represents an emergency situation.
In a Twitter post, the government of Gibraltar added that the condition of the grounded 35,362-dwt OS 35 (built 1999) is now stable and that almost all the fuel oil onboard has been removed.
Tests are taking place to assess whether there is any residual fuel remaining in the ship’s tanks.
There is no further oil sheen beyond the pollution prevention booms that surround the vessel.
Skimming operations are continuing to clear up oil within the booms.
“The captain of the port has advised that the situation remains stable and, with the majority of the fuel now extracted from the vessel, that the operation is now moving from the emergency stage to its recovery phase,” the government said on its Twitter page.
Regular port operations look likely to be resumed today.
The government is also renewing the situation on two beaches, Sandy Bay and Little Bay, where oil pollution clean-up work is continuing.
Attention is now likely to turn to how to remove the wreck of the vessel, which is grounded in a sandy bank and has developed a major fracture in its hull.
The OS 35 grounded, while pilots were onboard, after it collided with the 162,000-cbm Adam LNG (built 2014), which was at anchor during the accident.
The Adam LNG suffered only minor damage to the bow.
