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| Napoli's cargo to be off-loaded | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Preparations are under way to lift off more than 2,000 containers from the cargo ship MSC Napoli as she lists heavily a mile off Sidmouth, Devon. | |
| Specialist crane barges are expected alongside the vessel and will lift off the containers in an operation which could take several months. | |
| The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has warned scavengers they face arrest if they take goods that wash up ashore. | |
| And the RSPCA said most of the oil-covered birds it has found may die. | |
| Meanwhile, salvage teams are continuing to pump out 3,500 tonnes of oil from the ship's fuel tanks. So far more than 1,700 tonnes of fuel oil has been pumped into a waiting tanker. | |
| 'Weather dependant' | 'Weather dependant' |
| The containers, which are holding many goods from BMW motorcycles to nappies, as well as fuel oil, will be lifted off in priority order. | |
| Mark Clark, Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) spokesman, said of the task of removing the containers: "It's a bit like a game of jenga because you have to remove all the items very, very carefully without everything else falling." | Mark Clark, Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) spokesman, said of the task of removing the containers: "It's a bit like a game of jenga because you have to remove all the items very, very carefully without everything else falling." |
| Two barge cranes which have sailed from Rotterdam will be positioned alongside MSC Napoli. | |
| The RSPCA has said the 760 birds in its care covered with oil spilled from the MSC Napoli have "only a slim chance of survival". | The RSPCA has said the 760 birds in its care covered with oil spilled from the MSC Napoli have "only a slim chance of survival". |
| 'Extreme exhaustion' | 'Extreme exhaustion' |
| Rupert Griffiths, manager of RSPCA West Hatch, said: "Being covered in oil like this is a life-threatening event for them. It stops them being able to fly or dive for food. | Rupert Griffiths, manager of RSPCA West Hatch, said: "Being covered in oil like this is a life-threatening event for them. It stops them being able to fly or dive for food. |
| "It also reduces their buoyancy. By the time they are washed up on the beach they may be less than two-thirds their original weight and suffering from extreme exhaustion after paddling a long way." | "It also reduces their buoyancy. By the time they are washed up on the beach they may be less than two-thirds their original weight and suffering from extreme exhaustion after paddling a long way." |
| The birds, which are mainly guillemots, have now been taken to the RSPCA's West Hatch Wildlife Centre near Taunton, Somerset. | The birds, which are mainly guillemots, have now been taken to the RSPCA's West Hatch Wildlife Centre near Taunton, Somerset. |
| It thought that more than 1,000 birds have been rescued since the ship was grounded. | It thought that more than 1,000 birds have been rescued since the ship was grounded. |
| The 200 tonnes of oil which had leaked into the sea has now been treated. | The 200 tonnes of oil which had leaked into the sea has now been treated. |
| But officials said on Friday it could take another week for all the fuel to be pumped to a second vessel from two of the ship's fuel tanks, which still remain under water. | But officials said on Friday it could take another week for all the fuel to be pumped to a second vessel from two of the ship's fuel tanks, which still remain under water. |
| The 62,000-tonne MSC Napoli, which was holed in storms on 18 January, was deliberately run aground following "serious structural failure". | The 62,000-tonne MSC Napoli, which was holed in storms on 18 January, was deliberately run aground following "serious structural failure". |
| Hundreds of scavengers descended on the beach at Branscombe after 50 of the ship's containers washed ashore. | Hundreds of scavengers descended on the beach at Branscombe after 50 of the ship's containers washed ashore. |
| A depot is being set up locally for anyone wanting to return items already taken from the beach. | A depot is being set up locally for anyone wanting to return items already taken from the beach. |
| The ship had been meant to unload almost half of the containers at South African ports. | The ship had been meant to unload almost half of the containers at South African ports. |
| MSC NAPOLI SALVAGE OPERATION The Napoli's containers will be unloaded from the stern first by crane barge Big Foot A second crane on Big Foot will then transfer containers to shuttle barge Boa Barge 21 Shuttle barge will then transfer containers to Portland Harbour, where they will be offloaded Lightering vessel Forth Fisher is positioned on the other side of the ship pumping off its remaining fuel oil A decision will be made over whether to re-float the ship after all the oil and containers have been removed Key fuel tanks and total contents identified by Marine Coastguard Agency on 23 January. Oil is being pumped off at a rate of approx. 30 tonnes per hour | MSC NAPOLI SALVAGE OPERATION The Napoli's containers will be unloaded from the stern first by crane barge Big Foot A second crane on Big Foot will then transfer containers to shuttle barge Boa Barge 21 Shuttle barge will then transfer containers to Portland Harbour, where they will be offloaded Lightering vessel Forth Fisher is positioned on the other side of the ship pumping off its remaining fuel oil A decision will be made over whether to re-float the ship after all the oil and containers have been removed Key fuel tanks and total contents identified by Marine Coastguard Agency on 23 January. Oil is being pumped off at a rate of approx. 30 tonnes per hour |