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Snap decision on MSC Napoli averted disaster
Friday 7 November 2008

<p>THE deliberate beaching of the damaged containership MSC Napoli required a rapid decision to be made to prevent it sinking in the English Channel and a potential environmental catastrophe, a Maritime &amp; Coastguard Agency report has asserted, writes Michael Grey.</p>
<p>The report into the circumstances of the incident in January last year has been delivered to a local inquiry into the event, being held in Devon, where there was much local concern at the aftermath of the beaching off the shore at Branscombe.</p>
<p>The MCA points out in the 103-page report that a number of locations were assessed as a place of refuge for the ship, after it had been abandoned and taken in tow. It was concluded by both French and British authorities that UK waters were the best option. With the ship in danger of breaking up, the UK Secretary of State&#8217;s Representative for Maritime Salvage and Intervention decided that the ship should be towed to Portland Harbour.</p>
<p>The Sosrep consulted with local authorities and environmental bodies, but en route to Portland, the situation aboard deteriorated rapidly and the Sosrep and salvors made a quick decision to beach the sinking vessel in Lyme Bay.</p>
<p>The ship was emptied of fuel oils and contaminants and the containers were removed. The ship was eventually refloated, but found to be too seriously damaged for salvage and was cut in two by explosives with the bow section towed to a recycling yard and the aft part broken up in situ.</p>
<p>The MCA points out that the salvage was a successful operation, and demonstrated the effectiveness of its incident handling arrangements.</p>
<p>The Devon County Council inquiry this week is considering a range of factors, which include the choice of places of refuge, environmental considerations, the powers for the salvage of goods, and the effectiveness of various agencies in such incidents.</p>

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