Publication Abstract

An assessment of chemical pollution from the MSC Napoli

J.W. Readman, C. Guitart, T. Frickers and R.J. Law

On 18th January 2007, severe storms and huge waves battered the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) Napoli container carrier and seriously damaged its hull. Eighty kilometers south of the Lizard (Cornwall, UK) a severe crack developed and flooded the engine room. The crew abandoned ship and were airlifted to safety. The following day, salvage tugs began to tow the stricken vessel towards Portland Harbour in Dorset to unload the containers, a distance of approximately 220 km. Unfortunately, the ship began to deteriorate, list severely and, with increasingly strong winds forecast, it was decided to beach the Napoli in Lyme Bay about 1 km offshore of Branscombe Beach in Devon. The area is part of Britain’s first natural World Heritage Site and the decision, as so often on these occasions, was controversial.

Reference

J.W. Readman, C. Guitart, T. Frickers and R.J. Law (2007) An assessment of chemical pollution from the MSC Napoli. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 54(5): 501-503