MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

South Georgia poacher to be scuttled in Falklands

Following a conviction for illegal fishing and failure by the vessel owners to pay their fine, the longliner Elqui was awarded by the Falkland Islands court to the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI).

Operations Manager for GSGSSI, Gordon Liddle explained that the principal objective of the GSGSSI has been to ensure that the vessel cannot fish illegally again. As the vessel has no commercial value to a legal operator and as GSGSSI would have no control over its final ownership were they to attempt to find a buyer, "sinking or scrapping were considered the only two options".

Scuttling has become the preferred option as the cost of removal to a scrap yard far outweighed the scrap value of the ship. This was largely because the ship was not in a fit condition to be flagged in the Falklands and sail to another port safely under its own power and the costs of towing are extremely high.

The vessel, which is currently moored in Stanley, could not be sunk in the state in which it was left by its previous owners, Gleneagles Corporation, so advice was sought from the Falkland Islands Attorney General, the Marine Officer and several others. Mr Liddle said this was done to ensure that all the correct procedures were being followed and that there would be, "no pollution risk whatsoever to the marine environment."

He added "the Marine Officer has been consulted throughout the cleaning process, continues to be so and is content with the work that is presently being undertaken, the Environmental Planning Officer is also in the picture."

The work presently being carried out is long and complex and includes the removal of all hydraulic fluids; this is to include emptying and cleaning storage tanks, hydraulic pipelines and hydraulically operated machinery.

Mr Liddle said the fuel tanks are not only being emptied but are being manually cleaned as they become empty, adding that this work is being done safely including the use of air sampling equipment to ensure that there are no dangerous concentrations of gas.

The engine lubricating oils have all been removed, both from storage tanks which have been manually cleaned and from the main engines, generators and motors. These too have been manually cleaned to ensure no unacceptable hydrocarbons remain.

The galley fryers have been cleaned to remove cooking oils and all food and other domestic waste has been removed and burned.

Paints and batteries have been removed and all the fishing gear has, or is being, removed including lines, winches, deck lights, radars and other navigational equipment, plastic baskets, hooks and snood lines etc.

Mr Liddle said that some objects have been offered to the Museum and National Trust, in particular an "old and rather interesting binnacle compass on the monkey deck."

With the cleanup process completed the ship will be an empty shell with no remaining loose materials or oils, gasses etc on board that could cause any adverse environmental impact or any hazard to other shipping.

Mr Liddle described the project as "a costly exercise for the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands but one that shows their determination to ensure that pirate fishermen do not profit from their crimes."

When selecting a site for scuttling the Elqui Mr Liddle said there are some issues that have to be borne in mind. It should be in waters sufficiently deep to ensure that it is not a navigational hazard and that the ship will not immediately break up by pounding, thus releasing any deck timbers to the surface. Mr Liddle said that at the correct depth the timbers will "waterlog and remain permanently on the bottom."

The site should also be reasonably close to Stanley to reduce the towing time and the possibility of the ship sinking accidentally in a less favourable position.

It is planned to put the Elqui next to rocks or a natural reef because even if inshore trawling were to be permitted by FIG in the future, ships could not trawl immediately next to rocks therefore the Elqui would still not be a hazard. Mr Liddle stressed that there would be a minimal affect on marine life and that, carried out correctly, the hulk could, "provide a haven for fish and become an artificial reef."

Falkland Islands Salvager Lyle Craigie-Halkett has had the unenviable task of cleaning the ship which still contained rotting fish when work began.

Lyle reported that the work is slightly ahead of schedule and attributes this to the hard work of his gang, Gerard Smith, Gordon Peck and Arthur McBain plus the Sullivan Shipping launch crews.

Lyle has worked for the South Georgia Government on other occasions. He and his team removed several thousand tons of heavy fuel oil from the whaling stations at South Georgia in 1990/91 and more recently undertook the major clean up operation of the whaling stations in 2003/4.

After spending most of his life at sea, Lyle moved into salvage and has worked on some interesting projects around the world such as being involved in locating Vasco Da Gamma's three uncles' ships that were lost of the coast of Oman in 1553. During another expedition in the South China Sea, Lyle discovered a silver ingot on a 12th century wreck and donated it to the Falklands Museum for their maritime section.(PN/MP)