North-Sea-Enabler Ship Details and Seafarer Feedback

In a surprising turn of events, more oil than initially estimated has been recovered from the wreck of the "Manolis L" (IMO: 8031110), which sank off the northeastern coast of Newfoundland in 1985. For decades, the vessel has been submerged near Change Islands, and in 2018, the Canadian federal government issued a $15 million contract to Ardent Global to extract the residual oil still contained within the ship. Prior assessments by the Coast Guard suggested that between 115,000 and 150,000 litres of oil remained. However, in a news release from Fisheries and Oceans Canada dated January 10, 2019, it was reported that Ardent Global successfully retrieved a staggering 208,769 litres of oil, equating to enough to fill 1,313 oil barrels, using the specialized vessel "Tidewater Enabler". Notably, the "Manolis L" was believed to have carried a total of up to 600,000 litres of oil at the time of its sinking. The ship did lose a portion of its oil during the initial sinking, and an additional leak occurred approximately five years prior after a significant storm disturbed the wreck site. In 2013, inspectors discovered two cracks in the hull, which were subsequently repaired, but reports of minor oil sheens and oiled seabirds have persisted in the local waters. The recovery operation, conducted at depths of 70 metres, utilized advanced remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). The heavy fuel was removed by heating it with steam before transferring it to an environmental company for safe disposal. In total, 14 tanks aboard the "Manolis L" were pumped and thoroughly flushed out, significantly reducing the environmental risks associated with the wreck's remaining oil.

The Canadian Coast Guard has announced the successful completion of an oil recovery operation from the infamous shipwreck of the 'Manolis L.' Contracted by the Coast Guard, Ardent Global LLC was tasked with pumping out the remaining oil trapped in the storage tanks of the wreck, located 200 feet beneath the surface after it ran aground on the hazardous Blow Hard Rock during a storm in 1985. Throughout the operation, which took place in the summer of 2018, experts from Transport Canada were on-site to oversee the delicate procedure and ensure safety measures were in place in case of emergencies. The specific volume of the recovered oil will be determined during the unloading process and detailed in an official report prepared by Ardent Global. In a $5 million assessment carried out in the summer of 2016 by Resolve Salvage of Fort Lauderdale, it was revealed that a significant portion of heavy fuel oils and diesel cargo, initially believed to be intact, had leaked out over the years through ruptured tanks and hull cracks. The remaining amount of oil onboard was estimated to be between 113 and 151 tonnes. In April, the federal government awarded a $15.1 million contract to Ardent Global for the removal of bulk oil from the Manolis L wreck. Operations commenced in July, where the wreck was secured before any intrusive work began, allowing for thorough surveys to address potential concerns. Ongoing monitoring of the site will be ensured via Coast Guard patrols and aerial surveillance. Utilizing remotely operated vehicle (ROV) technology, the oil was then transferred to the 'Tidewater Enabler,' which served as the operational base for the recovery. On September 11, the recovered oil arrived at St. John's harbor, where Envirosystems Inc. began the unloading process. This facility will clean the waste oil before it's sent to government-approved combustion facilities within the province. The processing involves thermal, mechanical, and chemical treatments to eliminate water, salt, and sediments. The treated oil will subsequently be transported for responsible disposal. For more details, visit the reports with images and video here: [Western Star Coverage](http://www.thewesternstar.com/news/local/canadian-coast-guard-says-operation-to-remove-the-oil-from-manolis-l-shipwreck-a-success-240550/), [Maritime Executive Article](https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/ardent-completes-removal-of-fuel-oil-from-the-manolis-l).

The oil extraction operation from the infamous 'Manolis L' wreck has reached a successful conclusion, as the 'Tidewater Enabler' completed the task on September 8, 2023. The 'Manolis L' (IMO: 8031110), which sank in 1985 near Change Islands in Notre Dame Bay, was found to contain approximately 150,000 litres of oil. Operations commenced in early August, utilizing Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) to facilitate the safe removal of the remaining oil, minimizing risks to human divers while maximizing dive durations. The 'Tidewater Enabler' skillfully pumped oil from the wreckage located 70 meters underwater. This complex operation was commissioned through a $15-million contract awarded to Ardent Global, a Houston-based company specializing in maritime response and recovery efforts. The successful pumping operations mark a significant milestone in environmental recovery efforts.