Salvage company assessing how to extract fuel from Manawanui

Samoa's Marine Pollution Advisory Committee (MPAC) says a salvage company has been assessing the Manawanui wreckage location and what resources are needed to extract fuel still on board the vessel.

MPAC said a salvage plan had been presented to them.

"Salvaging works will commence once salvage plan has been approved by the MPAC Chair, Afioga Fui Tupai Mau Simanu," MPAC said in an update dated 31 October.

All equipment, including the barge required for the fuel extraction, is being prepared in Whangārei and is expected to arrive in Apia around 23 or 24 November.

Three containers from the ship have been removed from the reef and have been securely shipped back to New Zealand via HMNZS Canterbury.

"Significant damage to the reef was observed to have been caused by these three shipping containers through the monitoring carried out by our onsite team," MPAC said.

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"The Scientific Research Organization of Samoa has submitted a comprehensive plan for testing seawater and marine species near the wreck site to monitor and determine any contamination within the affected area."

The New Zealand Defence Force said removing fuel will be its priority, and its teams on the ground are focused on protecting the environment.

Commodore Andrew Brown said a dive team from HMNZS Matataua would be involved in underwater surveillance of the ship.

He said coastal areas were also being monitored.

Residents in the affected areas are being urged by MPAC to report any debris, diesel slicks, or signs of impacted marine life.

Nick Ling, from the University of Waikato's School of Science, said any decision about removing the wreck itself was a "very complex decision process", given the potential cost, difficulties in achieving its removal considering where it lies adjacent to the reef and in a relatively exposed location; and the wishes of local people and the Samoan Government.

"Removing the wreck entirely would be extremely challenging given the lack of infrastructure to deal with the salvaged wreck in Samoa or anywhere nearby."

He said there was potential for the Manawanui to be left there as a dive site.

"Although that would depend on whether the ship lies in a sufficiently sheltered location to survive long-term exposure to heavy seas.

"While many old warships are purposely sunk as dive sites or for the purposes of forming an artificial reef, they are rigorously decontaminated first.

"In its current state the wreck itself poses relatively little threat to the reef once the fuel and other potential contaminants are removed, but if it were to break up then it could cause considerable additional physical damage to the structure of the reef."

Ling said the NZDF had reported that ongoing monitoring of the wreck and surrounding coastal area is continuing, "but it is unclear whether this relates simply to the presence of debris and oil".

"I would have thought the NZ Government owed it to the people of Samoa to undertake whatever work was required to allay fears of the potential or current impacts of the wreck."

At the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters said New Zealand should not apologise to Samoa for the environmental impact from the HMNZS Manawanui sinking and ongoing fuel leaks.

However, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said last month he had consistently conveyed New Zealand's apologies for the unfortunate accident to Samoan Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mata'afa, including on his trip to the East Asia Summit in Laos.

"Consistently conveyed that we are sorry this unfortunate accident happened, but what we are very focused on as a combined New Zealand-Samoa team is actually making sure we stay very very focused on the task at hand."