Oil removal completed on 53-year-old shipwreck in British Columbia waters

The Canadian government has completed the removal of approximately 60 tonnes of heavy fuel oil and diesel from Schiedyk, a wrecked cargo vessel that has remained partially submerged in British Columbia’s Nootka Sound for over 50 years.

The operation to remove the oil from the vessel was conducted by US-based company Resolve Marine Group.

Canadian subcontractors supported the operation. Among the assets deployed was the Canadian-registered offshore supply vessel (OSV) Atlantic Condor, which acted as an operations platform for the oil removal team.

Due to the depth of Schiedyk, Resolve Marine used remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to drill holes into the cargo vessel’s four fuel tanks and secure a drainage valve with a hose attached for pumping operations.

To remove the heavy fuel oil, hot water was injected into the tanks to liquefy the oil within. The oil and water mixture was then pumped to the surface through the hoses and onboard Atlantic Condor, where the oil and water were separated.

The tanks on board Schiedyk were then flushed until fuel was no longer detected.

The Canadian Coast Guard and Western Canada Marine Response Corporation were on the water to respond to any oil released, with members of the Mowachaht/Muchalaht First Nation, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, and other partners and contractors monitoring the shorelines, sensitive areas, marine mammals and other wildlife during the operation.

Schiedyk, a 147-metre cargo ship that was built in Ireland in 1948, sank in 1968 after striking a submerged ledge on the south side of Bligh Island and later drifting down Zuciarte Channel to sink in 120 metres of water. Sheen was reported on the water in December 2020, and the Canadian Coast Guard established an Incident Command Post to conduct monitoring and containment operations.