Vessel | : | Ro/Ro – Pass “EXPRESS SAMINA” |
Date | : | 27/9/2000 - 24/11/2000 |
Place | : | Off Paros Island (Greece) |
Casualty | : | Sinking – De-oiling works |
The RO/RO PASSENGER FERRY “EXPRESS SAMINA” struck onto the rocky islet Portes soon after leaving the Port of Paros Island for Piraeus port. As a result she suffered a crack and shortly after sank in a sea depth of 37m, laying on its SS side on the sea bottom. POSEIDON was contracted by her shipowners & P & I CLUB to eliminate/prevent possible sea pollution. The antipollution operation included deployment of oil containment booms, underwater bunker removal and cleaning of bunkers’ tanks & engine room by means of high pressure hot water jet. All overboards were plugged/sealed and pollutant material such as batteries, oil drums, paints, etc removed. Pumping operations were performed on a 24-hour/day basis and was particularly difficult as divers could not access the tanks by just drilling holes on the hull but had to make ways within the wreck by drilling/ cutting plates, removing machinery parts, floor plates etc. The whole diving task was further impeded by the zero visibility conditions within the wreck. In total, approx. 120m3 F.O., 45m3 D.O., 30m3 Lub & Hydraulic oil and 16m3 of Slops were pumped out and temporarily stored in our Mother Vessel “VERGINA I” slop tanks to be later delivered to reception facilities.