Russian shipwreck will not be removed
The wreck of the Russian vessel “Petrozavodsk” will not be moved from the cliffs of Bear Island until earliest next summer. The vessel has been emptied for oil and oil products.
According to the British company Titan Salvage removal of the Russian freight ship will cost about 15 million USD. This is probably more than the ship owner according to international maritime law is responsible for paying, so Norwegian authorities will possibly have to pay part of the operation, Svalbardposten reports.
The ship had 54 cubic meters of oil as well as other petroleum substances on board when it ran aground, but has now been emptied.
The Norwegian Coastal Administration is now trying to get the ship owner to take responsibility for the removal of the wreck.
As BarentsObserver reported, “Petrozavodsk” ran aground by the coast of the Bear Island in the Barents Sea in May. The captain and mate of the vessel were both sentenced to prison for breaking the Maritime Code. The captain was sentenced to 18 days of prison for drinking alcohol while on duty, while the vessel’s mate was sentenced to 40 days of prison for sleeping on duty, so that the vessel entered a protected area and ran aground.
