Manolis L

The Manolis L was a Liberian-flagged ship that sank in Newfoundland and Labrador's Notre Dame Bay in 1985, together with her damaging supply of toxic fuel oil.[1] The ship was a timber carrier, that sank to 85 metres (279 ft). She contained 150,000 litres (33,000 imp gal) of fuel oil.[2][3] She ran aground on Blow Hard Rock, off Change Islands.[4]

The oil was contained, within the ship, until a storm in 2013 cracked the hull.[5] Since then some oil leaked from the hull, and the Canadian Coast Guard was able to contain some of that oil.[1] But the wreck was described as a "ticking time bomb", that could have suffered a total rupture of the oil tank, at any time.[6][7]

For a period of five years, the Manolis L Citizens Response Committee advocated for the removal of the oil through public awareness campaigns that included art exhibits, a protest march and other means to keep the issue in the public eye while meeting with stakeholders, government officials and Coast guard regularly to keep apprised of the efforts. The committee was integral to the eventual resolution of the issue.

The Federal Conservative government under Stephen Harper refused to address the issue, however when the Liberal party under Justin Trudeau came to power they ordered a technical assessment of the wreck. This assessment was undertaken in 2016, Because of the extreme pressure changes, it took an hour to descend.[4] They were only able to spend half an hour working before they had to spend an hour and a half managing their return to the surface. The recommendation of Coast Guard was to remove the remaining oil.

Meanwhile the government created and passed Bill C-64 to fill the legislative vacuum surrounding abandoned and derelict vessels in Canada.

Efforts to safely pump out the oil began on August 8, 2018. Because of the depth the work was performed by remotely operated vessels.[6] The oil was completely removed by September 8, 2018.[2]

Later that year, the Manolis L Citizens Response Committee dissolved and its financial assets were divided between the East Coast Law Association and the Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Network.

References

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  1. ^ a b Holly Lake (2016-07-27). "Salvage study contract issued for Manolis L wreck". iPolitics.ca. Archived from the original on 2018-09-12. Retrieved 2018-09-11. When the Manolis sank, it took an estimated 462 tons of Bunker C fuel, 60 tons of diesel and 22.5 tonnes of lube oil to the bottom. How much remains on board isn't clear, but the information gleaned from the assessment will help plan how best to remove what is there.
  2. ^ a b "Contractor completes oil removal from sunken Manolis L near Change Islands". CBC News. 2018-09-08. Archived from the original on 2018-09-10. Retrieved 2018-09-11. The Manolis L, a paper carrier, sank in Notre Dame Bay in 1985 with 150,000 litres of oil aboard. Early last month, work began to remove that oil using remotely operated underwater vehicles, or ROVs, to avoid risks to human divers and allow for longer dives.
  3. ^ "'We're just thrilled': Oil from Manolis L shipwreck to be cleaned out this summer". CBC News. 2018-01-17. Archived from the original on 2018-08-08. Retrieved 2018-09-11. The cleanup is a complicated process, involving specialized equipment and skills that could have to be sourced from elsewhere in the world.
  4. ^ a b Christy Janes (2016-08-26). "Technical assessment underway on the Manolis L." Gander Beacon. Archived from the original on 2018-09-12. Retrieved 2018-09-11. It takes the divers about one hour to get down to the Manolis L. because they have to stop and adjust for the pressure, they work for about 30 minutes and then it takes about an hour and half to come back up to the surface.
  5. ^ "Contract Awarded for Bulk Oil Removal From Manolis L". Navigator magazine. 2018-04-12. Retrieved 2018-09-11. The Manolis L, which sank to a depth of more than 70 metres in 1985 off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador, lay dormant until April 2013 when cracks in the hull, coupled with a powerful storm, allowed some fuel oil to reach the surface.
  6. ^ a b Holly Lake (2018-08-08). "Work begins to remove oil from sunken Manolis L off Newfoundland coast". iPolitics.ca. Archived from the original on 2018-09-12. Retrieved 2018-09-11. The Coast Guard has been monitoring the wreck in the years since, patching things up and catching some of the oil that was escaping. But the thought of it breaking open in a harsh winter storm was a constant worry among residents.
  7. ^ "Manolis L a 'time bomb' for more oil leaks, warn residents". CBC News. 2015-01-06. Archived from the original on 2018-04-13. Retrieved 2018-09-11. Documents obtained by CBC News show the agency wanted to know how much it would cost to remove all the oil still in the Manolis L, but the results are blacked out.
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