Salvage operations for sunken ship begins

Fiji Ports Corporation Limited says salvage operations of the container ship, Southern Phoenix has begun at the Suva Harbour.

In a statement today, Fiji Ports Corporation Limited has stated that preliminary assessments confirmed minor oil seepage from the hydraulics and diesel but is not classified as a major threat to environment.

However, divers from Dive Centre Fiji and Fiji Navy continue to undertake their assessments to further ascertain any possibility of a major oil spill.

It has also been revealed that the sunken vessel has 183 tons of heavy fuel oil, 30 tons of medium diesel oil, 179 cargo containers, break bulk cargo and other cargo.

All floating loose cargo containers have been secured and confined to the south end of the Suva Wharf.

Fiji Ports Corporation Limited say they received a distress call from the cargo ship at 1:30am yesterday which was listing to port-side.

They had to tow the ship away from the south end of the wharf to avoid damage to the infrastructure and allow traffic clearance.