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| Napoli 'not in break-up danger' | Napoli 'not in break-up danger' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The stricken container ship MSC Napoli is not in immediate danger of breaking up, the government official in charge of the salvage has said. | The stricken container ship MSC Napoli is not in immediate danger of breaking up, the government official in charge of the salvage has said. |
| Robin Middleton, of the Department for Transport, was responding to newspaper reports which said the vessel was at high risk because of hull fractures. | Robin Middleton, of the Department for Transport, was responding to newspaper reports which said the vessel was at high risk because of hull fractures. |
| He said the risk was lessening every day as more containers came off. | He said the risk was lessening every day as more containers came off. |
| The first 70 containers salvaged from the 2,200 on the vessel arrived at Portland in Dorset on Thursday morning. | |
| A shuttle barge with the 70 containers travelled through the night from the ship's beached position in Lyme Bay to Portland Port. A specialist crane is being installed at the docks to unload the steel crates later in the week. | |
| Increasing confidence | Increasing confidence |
| The complete removal of all of the Napoli's containers may take up to five months. | |
| The Napoli was deliberately grounded off the Devon coast on Saturday 20 January amid fears it would sink in deep water after holes appeared on either side of the vessel two days previously. | The Napoli was deliberately grounded off the Devon coast on Saturday 20 January amid fears it would sink in deep water after holes appeared on either side of the vessel two days previously. |
| Newspapers reported the hull had fractured completely, but Mr Middleton, the Secretary of State's representative for Maritime, Salvage and Intervention, said that salvors did not know if it was cracked all the way underneath the vessel. | Newspapers reported the hull had fractured completely, but Mr Middleton, the Secretary of State's representative for Maritime, Salvage and Intervention, said that salvors did not know if it was cracked all the way underneath the vessel. |
| He said that would not be known unless it was out of the water. | He said that would not be known unless it was out of the water. |
| Reports in the press of hundreds of dead fish are unfounded Ben Bradshaw | |
| Mr Middleton added that he had increasing confidence as containers were coming off, and that 87 taken off the aft section had made a significant difference to the ship's structural integrity. | Mr Middleton added that he had increasing confidence as containers were coming off, and that 87 taken off the aft section had made a significant difference to the ship's structural integrity. |
| Meanwhile, the government has denied that hundreds of dead fish have been washed up after the grounding of the Napoli. | Meanwhile, the government has denied that hundreds of dead fish have been washed up after the grounding of the Napoli. |
| The RSPB and RSPCA said more than oiled 1,000 birds were washed up on beaches in Devon and Dorset after the grounding, and many were not expected to survive despite clean-up operations at animal sanctuaries. | The RSPB and RSPCA said more than oiled 1,000 birds were washed up on beaches in Devon and Dorset after the grounding, and many were not expected to survive despite clean-up operations at animal sanctuaries. |
| But Environment Minister Ben Bradshaw said fish had not been affected in such numbers. | But Environment Minister Ben Bradshaw said fish had not been affected in such numbers. |
| He said: "I can confirm that the reports in the press of hundreds of dead fish are unfounded." | He said: "I can confirm that the reports in the press of hundreds of dead fish are unfounded." |
| More than 80% of the ship's fuel oil has been removed and salvors expect to remove all of it by the weekend. | More than 80% of the ship's fuel oil has been removed and salvors expect to remove all of it by the weekend. |
| Commons statement | |
| The grounding of the ship off the World Heritage Site coast is to be discussed at the European Commission on Thursday. | The grounding of the ship off the World Heritage Site coast is to be discussed at the European Commission on Thursday. |
| The Liberal Democrat MP for Devon's Teign constituency, Richard Younger-Ross, will meet the European Transport Commissioner Transport, Vice President Jacques Barrot, in Brussels. | The Liberal Democrat MP for Devon's Teign constituency, Richard Younger-Ross, will meet the European Transport Commissioner Transport, Vice President Jacques Barrot, in Brussels. |
| He said: "I shall be clarifying the regulations covering the condition of ships in European waters, as well as the resulting environmental impact on the surrounding area, which could have a detrimental affect on tourism and the local economy." | He said: "I shall be clarifying the regulations covering the condition of ships in European waters, as well as the resulting environmental impact on the surrounding area, which could have a detrimental affect on tourism and the local economy." |
| The situation is also to be debated in the House of Commons on Thursday, with transport minister Stephen Ladyman expected to make a Commons statement in the early afternoon. | The situation is also to be debated in the House of Commons on Thursday, with transport minister Stephen Ladyman expected to make a Commons statement in the early afternoon. |
| 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 Oil is being pumped off at a rate of approx. 20 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 Oil is being pumped off at a rate of approx. 20 tonnes per hour |