Investigate Wrecks Before Removal Of Vessel– Maritime Operator

A maritime operator, Mr Opena Anobili, on Sunday advised that ship wrecks should be investigated for environmental degradation before the vessels could be removed from water.
Anobili, who is also the Group Head, Commercial of the Bonny Channel Company, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
He said that it was important to find out the contents of the vessel during a wreck before removing it, to avoid damaging the marine environment.

A maritime operator, Mr Opena Anobili, on Sunday advised that ship wrecks should be investigated for environmental degradation before the vessels could be removed from water.
Anobili, who is also the Group Head, Commercial of the Bonny Channel Company, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
He said that it was important to find out the contents of the vessel during a wreck before removing it, to avoid damaging the marine environment.
Anobili said that it was for such important reason that his company carried out bathymetric surveys, meaning measurement of water depth.
He said that the survey also revealed different materials and objects under water.
“A lot of considerations go into removing a wreck. That is why we have bathymetric surveys.
“When the survey identifies a wreck, divers go under the water to investigate the wreck.
“They look at the contents; it could be a sunken ship.
“They look at the contents of the vessel that is sunk, the contents of the barge and that will now determine the type of retrieval method to be applied.”
The company executive noted that road maintenance could just require a decision of filling a pothole with sand or debris but that it was different in handling a wreck under the sea.
“A pothole on the road may require just putting broken stones in it or pouring sand in it but it is different with a wreck under the sea.
“You must do adequate investigation before removing it because you may be causing more danger than you want to avoid if it contains environmentally hazardous cargo.”
He said that efforts to remove wrecks must be immediate even when they did not affect marine traffic.
The maritime expert noted that it would be dangerous if a wreck surfaced unannounced and a vessel ran into it.
He said that was why surveys were carried out, mapped and gazetted for mariners’ notice to guide captains on navigation.