CP Valour - Initial phase of salvage complete
January 03 2006 - 3:18PM
PR Newswire (US)
GATWICK, UK, Jan. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Despite unfavourable
weather and sea swells which at times have been more than four
metres, all IMO- classified hazardous cargo has now been removed
from CP Valour following its grounding in the Azores on 9th
December. None of the crew of 21 suffered injury as a result of the
grounding. Salvage efforts have been underway since shortly after
the grounding but have been repeatedly thwarted by adverse sea
conditions which are causing increasing damage to the ship.
Representatives of CP Ships Marine Operations arrived on site as
soon as possible after the grounding to liaise with local
authorities and assist the salvage efforts. Several attempts to
re-float CP Valour were not successful and because of the current
state of damage to the ship, no further attempt to re-float will be
undertaken. This has been discussed and agreed with local
authorities. Next steps in terms of removal of the cargo and of the
ship itself are under consideration. At the time of the grounding,
the ship had about 1,000 tonnes of heavy fuel oil and 140 tonnes of
diesel oil on board as well as a small quantity of lubricating and
hydraulic oil and paint. All accessible fuel oil that could be
pumped has been removed as well as all lubricants, paints,
chemicals and engine oils. With the removal of these materials and
the hazardous-classified cargo, the threat to the local environment
has been significantly reduced. A limited amount of bunker and
diesel fuel has been spilled since the grounding. Local pollution
mitigation specialists have removed most of the fuel that washed
ashore. CP Valour was en route from Montreal to Valencia carrying
525 containers and was heading into safe anchorage when it grounded
off the coast of the Azorean island of Faial. CP VALOUR - KEY FACTS
Owner: CP Ships Manager: Split Ship Management Year built: 1979
Flag: Bermuda Classification: Det Norske Veritas 1A1 ICE-C
Capacity: 1000 teu (nominal) Service speed: 18.5 knots Length
overall: 177 metres Breadth: 27 metres Gross registered tonnage:
15,145 Deadweight tonnage: 18,687 Draught: 10 metres Crew: 21 on
average Port rotation: Montreal, Valencia, Cadiz, Livorno, Lisbon,
Montreal DATASOURCE: CP Ships CONTACT: Elizabeth Canna, VP Group
Communications, Telephone: +44 (0)1293 861 921 or +41 (0)79 691
3764
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