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| Napoli's cargo removal under way | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The operation to unload more than 2,000 containers from the MSC Napoli a mile off the Devon coast is under way. | |
| The Maritime and Coastguard Agency's Mark Clark said they wanted to get on with the work "as quickly as possible." | |
| The operation failed to go ahead on Sunday after a mooring cable snapped on one of the vessels carrying a crane. | The operation failed to go ahead on Sunday after a mooring cable snapped on one of the vessels carrying a crane. |
| Work to pump 3,500 tonnes of oil from the ship is also continuing. Half a tonne of oil escaped on Sunday, which was being dealt with, said Mr Clark. | |
| MCA spokesman Mr Clark said the escaped oil had formed a sheen on the surface of the sea. | |
| Dangerous work | |
| A team of about 20 salvage operators will be involved in the removal of the containers, some of them divers who will go into the ship which has been flooded with water and oil. | A team of about 20 salvage operators will be involved in the removal of the containers, some of them divers who will go into the ship which has been flooded with water and oil. |
| Their lives are more valuable than the cargo Mark ClarkMaritime and Coastguard Agency | Their lives are more valuable than the cargo Mark ClarkMaritime and Coastguard Agency |
| The divers will be working in a dangerous environment when they move around the precariously positioned containers to find the best ways of getting them off. | The divers will be working in a dangerous environment when they move around the precariously positioned containers to find the best ways of getting them off. |
| Mr Clark said they would have to take the "greatest of care" with such a dangerous work area. | |
| "The vessel is at an acute angle with crushed containers and spilling goods. People have to get on those containers and secure heavy chains so it's a very dangerous job," he said. | "The vessel is at an acute angle with crushed containers and spilling goods. People have to get on those containers and secure heavy chains so it's a very dangerous job," he said. |
| "Their lives are more valuable than the cargo." | "Their lives are more valuable than the cargo." |
| Priority order | Priority order |
| The salvage operation could take about five months as the team are working at a protected World Heritage Site. | The salvage operation could take about five months as the team are working at a protected World Heritage Site. |
| The largest barge crane will remove the 2,291 containers - laden with everything from BMW motorbikes to nappies - in priority order. | The largest barge crane will remove the 2,291 containers - laden with everything from BMW motorbikes to nappies - in priority order. |
| The smaller crane will then transfer them to a barge which will take them to Portland port in batches of up to 90 at a time. | The smaller crane will then transfer them to a barge which will take them to Portland port in batches of up to 90 at a time. |
| The MCA has warned opportunists they face arrest if they take goods that wash up ashore while the salvage operation is under way. | The MCA has warned opportunists they face arrest if they take goods that wash up ashore while the salvage operation is under way. |
| At a public meeting for 300 Branscombe villagers on Saturday some locals complained about the way the situation has been handled. The police have defended their actions. | At a public meeting for 300 Branscombe villagers on Saturday some locals complained about the way the situation has been handled. The police have defended their actions. |
| The 62,000-tonne MSC Napoli, which was holed in storms on 18 January, was deliberately run aground because of structural damage. | |
| MSC NAPOLI SALVAGE OPERATION The Napoli's containers will be unloaded from the stern first by crane barge Big Foot A second crane on Big Foot will then transfer containers to shuttle barge Boa Barge 21 Shuttle barge will then transfer containers to Portland Harbour, where they will be offloaded Lightering vessel Forth Fisher is positioned on the other side of the ship pumping off its remaining fuel oil A decision will be made over whether to re-float the ship after all the oil and containers have been removed Key fuel tanks and total contents identified by Marine Coastguard Agency on 23 January. Oil is being pumped off at a rate of approx. 30 tonnes per hour | MSC NAPOLI SALVAGE OPERATION The Napoli's containers will be unloaded from the stern first by crane barge Big Foot A second crane on Big Foot will then transfer containers to shuttle barge Boa Barge 21 Shuttle barge will then transfer containers to Portland Harbour, where they will be offloaded Lightering vessel Forth Fisher is positioned on the other side of the ship pumping off its remaining fuel oil A decision will be made over whether to re-float the ship after all the oil and containers have been removed Key fuel tanks and total contents identified by Marine Coastguard Agency on 23 January. Oil is being pumped off at a rate of approx. 30 tonnes per hour |