Wreck removers remove more than half the cargo from the stranded OS 35 after the hull continues to break up

Wreckage removers have removed more than half the load of steel inside the stricken bulk carrier stranded 700 meters off the Gibraltar coast.

At the end of March 16, the Gibraltar Port Authority reported that cranes had removed more than 17,000 tonnes of cargo from the stricken ship.

OS 35 has been in shallow water 700 meters off the iconic Catalana Bay since late August, when it was forced aground after a collision.

There are less than 16,000 tons of steel left inside the cargo hold.

The cranes are now removing between 600 and 900 tons of cargo per day.

The next stage will be the scrapping and removal of the ship’s hull.

A new barge that can be sunk to collect the hull and remove it from the area is now heading to Gibraltar from Rotterdam.

The Fjord will arrive at the end of March.

“I am pleased with the progress salvage teams are making in terms of cargo removal from OS35,” said Port Capt. John Ghio.

“The fact that the Fjord semi-submersible is on its way to Gibraltar is also very positive.

“This put us in a position to remove the wreckage as soon as we physically can to do so without delay.”

Several storms from the east battered the stranded ship during February and March.

They sent balls of oil tar onto the beaches of Gibraltar propelled by huge waves and howling winds.

The P&I Contractors Club cleaned up oil from Eastern Beach, Catalan Bay and Sandy Bay.

It also offered help to the authorities of La Línea that had beaches affected by contamination.

Meanwhile, the original wound on the port side that led to the sinking of OS 35 has now spread to the starboard side.

The ship is now only held together by the bottom of the hull, known as the bilge keel.