BLUE LAGOON

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Latest news

Koole Contractors to salvage grounded bulk carrier

The maritime service provider Koole Contractors in Vijfhuizen has been commissioned by the insurer to salvage the 'Blue Lagoon' off the coast of Orchid Island. Shortly after hitting the rocks in the typhoon Krathon on Oct 1, 2024,, the 19 crew members, consisting of Filipinos, Ukrainians and Russians, were evacueated from the ship by helicopter. They remained unharmed. A light oil spill occurred that was cleaned up by the Taiwanese authorities,. A part of the cargo lies on the seabed. The cargo will first have to be unloaded. The wreck will then be lifted with chain pullers and placed on a heavy-lift ship. Koole will start the salvage still in February 2025, and hopes to complete the job quickly. The typhoon season around Taiwan runs from May to December. Own and rented equipment will be used and the personnel will vary during the salvage. The 'Blue Lagoon' is accessible from two sides, so that a pontoon can be placed on either side to attach the chain pullers, after they have been brought under the ship.

45 tons of fuel removed from wreck

Environmental protection authorities have removed some of the oil aboard the 'Blue Lagoon' near Orchid Island and were working to ensure the rest was pumped out without damaging the surrounding area. The Taitung County Environmental Protection Bureau said on Oct. 8 that as of midday, 45 tons of oil had been removed from the wreck, and about 325 tons of oil and diesel remained on board, which would seriously damage the surrounding environment if not removed. The ship’s oil and diesel storage had not ruptured or leaked. The ship's hull and cargo will be removed once all the oil is pumped out. The first break in the weather after the ship ran aground was on Oct. 4, after which various local authorities dispatched crews to implement oil spill control measures in case of a leak. These included deploying oil-absorbing materials to surrounding waters and assigning monitoring and response staff. Report with photos: https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/news/5948795

Bulk carrier broke in two

As of Oct 2, the 'Blue Lagoon', stranded on the southeast side of Longmen Port on Lanyu Island, has broken in two, and an oil leakage has occurred. The Harbor Bureau of the Ministry of Transport has joined forces with the Coast Guard, the Taitung County Government and the Lanyu Township. The office established a response team. The Port Bureau has required the ship to close the oil valves and tanks, prepare anti-pollution materials, and require the P&I insurance company responsible for the ship to start pollution prevention and control operations. It is currently expected that when the weather situation improved on the evening of Oct 4. An anti pollution vessel and materials will be shipped to Orchid Island to start the oil removal operation as soon as possible. No residual oil was stored at the crack in the hull. Ther were about 290 tons of oil and 67,500 tons of cargo on board. Report s wiith photos: https://tw.news.yahoo.com/%E8%98%AD%E5%B6%BC%E6%93%B1%E6%B7%BA%E8%88%B9-%E6%9C%89%E4%BA%8C%E4%B9%9D0%E5%99%B8%E6%B2%B9%E6%96%99-%E8%88%AA%E6%B8%AF%E5%B1%80%E8%A6%81%E6%B1%82%E8%88%B9%E8%88%87%E4%BF%9D%E9%9A%AA%E5%85%AC%E5%8F%B8%E5%9B%9B%E6%97%A5%E9%A2%A8%E6%B5%AA%E5%B0%8F%E5%B0%B1%E6%B8%85-131420619.html https://udn.com/news/story/7328/8266372