Now that the preparatory work has been completed, the salvage of the wreck of the “Verity” has begun. The freighter sank after a collision near the German island Helgoland (Heligoland).
Koole, the company commissioned to salvage the wreck of the “Verity”, has completed the preparatory survey work. Divers have gathered information on the wreck’s condition from on board the “Koole 53”, the responsible authority announced. Now, the actual salvage can begin.
“We assume that the wreck will be salvaged by late summer,” says Eric Oehlmann, Head of the Directorate-General for Waterways and Shipping (GDWS). The salvage of the wreck is a highly complex project.
A support vessel chartered by the salvage company is due to arrive in the wreck area today with additional oil spill response equipment. The “Aquarius” will remain at the wreck site as an oil spill response vessel until an additional floating work platform arrives.
Recovery of the “Verity” highly complex
The nautical experts at the Wilhelmshaven traffic centre monitored the traffic in the area. For this purpose, the vessels “Sea Guardian” (traffic safety vessel) and “Nordic” (emergency tug) chartered by the Waterways and Shipping Administration have been deployed.
Once the water-polluting substances have been recovered, the cargo (steel coils) will be salvaged in a second step. Then, the wreck will be cut into two sections and finally lifted with a floating crane.
On October 24 last year, the coaster “Verity” was wrecked and sank in the German Bight following a collision with the freighter “Polesie”. Five of the seven crew members lost their lives.
The wreck lies southwest of Heligoland in a water depth of approx. 37 m and poses a danger to shipping. The area around the wreck is currently designated as a restricted area.
