THE MARITIME SAFETY AUTHORITY of Fiji has embarked on a project to rid Suva Harbor of more than 30 derelict vessels, just as other local bodies join forces to stem leaks from a long-sunken ship.
MSAF, the Fiji Ports Corporation and the Environment Ministry are marshalling resources to drain fuel and oils from the former inter-island trader Suilven, which sank in the harbour 10 years ago, and remove the vessel.
The Authority says that with help from Dive Centre (Fiji) the leaks have been stopped but the risk of recurrence remains. The vessel owner has ignored court orders to remove pollutants and salvage and dispose of the wreck.
Meanwhile, faced with a potential bill for $1.36 million to recover and/or scuttle 34 abandoned vessels around the Harbour MSAF has opted to hand the work to steel recyclers.
CEO Joeli Cawaki said the joint committee on derelict vessel removal had exhausted all the legal provisions so that the safe and proper disposal of abandoned or derelict vessels could progress and is now surveying a suitable site for scuttling, but towing them to deep water is expensive.
“We do not have an allocation of funds to do this exercise, there’s no money,” Mr Cawaki told The Fiji Times. “Either we’ll work with Jay Dayal of Dayal’s Steel in Ba, or other expression of interest we received from people wanting to do the cutting. So, all the boats that we have identified, will be cut. This is going to start very soon.”
Environment Ministry permanent secretary Dr Sivendra Michael said the leakage from Suilven came from the hull and was likely heavy fuel oil or marine diesel oil, with both posing environmental risk.
“The ministry is aware of the potential risks of reoccurrence and is working with MSAF and Fiji Ports to secure resources to refloat and drain out all oils and fuels,” Dr Michael told the Times.
Suilven, built in 1974, operated for Scotland’s Caledonian MacBrayne for 21 years before being acquired by NZ’s Strait Shipping in 1995 and serving on Cook Strait until 2004. It was then sold to Fijian owners and sailed between Suva, Savusavu and Taveuni for Bligh Water Shipping, then for Venu Shipping from 2012 until it capsized in Suva Harbour on 24 November 2015. There were no passengers aboard at the time and the crew were rescued.
