HMNZS MANAWANUI

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Latest news

Salvage crews finished fuel removal

Salvage crews have finished removing more than 300 tons of diesel fuel from the HMNZS 'Manawanui', A precautionary fishing zone around the vessel has now been removed, and salvors were now focusing on removing equipment, weapons, ammunition and debris from in and around the ship before making it secure. The salvage operation had achieved its objective of removing as many pollutants as possible. A total of 284 dives were made, typically with two divers each time. As liquids have been extracted, tanks have been sealed. The recovery work has given us a clearer picture of the damage sustained to tanks during the grounding. Diesel fuel escaped through damaged tanks and pipes. Some was consumed in the substantial fire on board before the ship sank. The Navy divers also worked hard to contain and capture ongoing leaks. Continuous environmental monitoring has shown earlier diesel fuel that did escape to sea, dissipated relatively rapidly, evaporating from wind and wave action. Regular testing by Scientific Research Organisation of Samoa has reported consistently low hydrocarbons and confirmed the seawater and marine life in this area are clear and uncontaminated.

Still oil aboard sunken wreck

Fuel remains on the 'Manawanui'. The Defence Force has repeated a figure from four weeks ago, when it had got 340 tons of diesel and other pollutants off. The Defence originally said 1000 tons of diesel was on board. Samoan officials have said 200 tons leaked out. Bad weather in January and again more recently held up the salvors, who had to move their barge to shelter. The sunken ship's position right on the reef edge makes conditions worse. RNZ continued to do everything to mitigate any possible impacts on the marine and coastal environment, The Defence told that the NZDF-contracted salvors were working hard through cycle three to remove diesel fuel, oil and other pollutants from HMNZS Manawanui, using their experience and expertise to locate remaining tanks and in some cases compartments, removing their contents. The ship will likely remain in place and become a part of the reef structure. The government of Samoa has decided it wants it to stay where it is. It will likely be a diving attraction when cleanup operations have been completed, much like an artificial reef.

340,000 litres of liquid has been recovered from the Manawanui

In the process of the removal of diesel fuel and other pollutants from the HMNZS 'Manawanui', the salvage barge has returned from the wreck site to Apia to unload tanktainers of liquid, completing the second cycle of removal. The salvors have recovered a significant amount of liquid from tanks, after operating above the 'Manawanui' for the past 17 day. The salvors have pumped liquid from the larger and more accessible tanks, and were now moving to harder to reach, and smaller, tank. At this stage of the operation the salvors’ divers need to cut access into the ship to reach the more difficult to get to tanks. There are 54 tanks of various sizes on the ship. Some contain diesel fuel, some lubricating oil, and some water, wastewater and bilge water. As of Feb 4, just over 340,000 litres of liquid has been recovered from the 'Manawanui'. Of this an estimated 320,000 litres of diesel fuel mix has been recovered from the ship’s diesel fuel tanks. This liquid is a mixture of diesel fuel and seawater. The amount of diesel fuel in the liquid recovered won’t be known until the liquid is processed, although the majority of the volume of liquid recovered so far is assessed to be diesel fuel. In addition to the liquids from the diesel fuel tanks, the salvors have recovered around 18,000 litres of lubricating oil from oil storage tanks within the ship.