Work on the Volgoneft-239 tanker utilization started

Specialists have started work on the disposal of the tanker Volgoneft-239, which was wrecked in the Kerch Strait. This was announced by Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Savelyev on January 31.

He noted that the work on pumping out fuel oil from the stern of the tanker "Volgoneft-239" was completed on January 25, which made it possible to proceed to the stage of utilization. It is planned to be completed by the end of March 2025.

"We did not allow scouring, and the work that is being done now, it is already connected with the utilization of both oil products and water and fuel oil liquid, which we pumped out, and today we are working on lifting, say, on options for the utilization of two parts of the tanker 212, which are in an underwater position, and the bow part of the tanker 239," Savelyev said.

The deputy prime minister emphasized that consultations with scientists, engineers and oil production companies are also underway.

"We are looking for a solution. First of all, this solution should be safe for the environment," he noted.

In turn, the head of the Russian Transport Ministry Roman Starovoit said that the main goal is to prevent fuel oil leaks from tankers. He added that daily monitoring is carried out by the diving service, which takes prompt action in case of oil product leaks.

Earlier, on January 30, the press service of the operational headquarters of the Krasnodar region reported that the region continues to work on the construction of special structures to protect against new releases of fuel oil and storms. The total length of the ditch has become less by 1 km and is 6.5 km. In some areas, the polypropylene network covers the sandbar.

Prior to that, on January 26, the Russian Emergencies Ministry reported that new fuel oil emissions were detected at 17 sites on the Black Sea coast. The agency added that localized emissions of fractions of petroleum products are already being eliminated.

January 23, Head of the Ministry of Natural Resources Alexander Kozlov said that the Russian government would allocate RUB 1.5 billion to reimburse the costs caused by the elimination of the wreckage of the two ships. The head of the ministry said that Rosprirodnadzor would calculate the amount of damage caused to the ecosystem by the fuel oil spill in three months. Later this amount will be charged to the perpetrators of pollution in court.

The tankers Volgoneft-212 andVolgoneft-239crashed in the Kerch Strait on December 15, 2024 due to bad weather. The incident resulted in a spill of oil products. 27 people were evacuated from both vessels, one person died. On the instructions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, a working group was set up to coordinate work to eliminate the consequences of the emergency.