The Seikongen has been re-floated but there have been problems finding somewhere to dispose of its cargo. Photo: Puerto Montt authority.

Solution found for emptying of re-floated Seikongen

Removal of liquid and solid waste from the salvaged Chilean wellboat Seikongen should begin today or tomorrow, authorities have said.

Daniella Balin
Published Last updated

According to information provided by the Chilean Navy and the Intendency of Puerto Montt, the extraction plan for the remains of salmon being carried by the Seikongen has already been approved.

The wellboat sank off the coast of Chonchi (Chiloé) on October 18, 2017, while providing services to the Pipilehue salmon farming centre in Camanchaca. 

Weather delays

After several weather delays, salvage company Ardent was able to re-float the wellboat in July. It planned to tow the vessel north to Talcahuano for emptying and repair, but the municipality has refused to receive it.

The sludge of decomposed salmon in the holds will be transferred to two specialist ships at Puerto Montt. These vessels will then take the waste to the Yoma suction pump facility in San José, Calbuco area in Los Lagos region.

Seikongen downs and ups

  • The Seikongen sank off the coast of Pilpilehue, in Chonchi, on October 18, 2017, while providing services to the Pipilehue salmon farming centre in Camanchaca.
  • The 11 crew were safely transferred to another vessel.
  • The vessel was carrying 200 tonnes of salmon.
  • International salvage firm Ardent first righted the ship, which was in shallow water, then re-loated it.
  • The Seikongen’s owner, CPT Empresas, intended to repair the ship – which was almost new - after moving it to Talcahuano, around 800km to the north.
  • Authorities in Talcahuano refused to accept the ship because of the rotting remains of its cargo.

At San José it will be transferred to hermetically-sealed road tankers and taken to a facility at Los Glaciares de Panitao in Puerto Montt. Once water content has been evaporated from the sludge, the remainder will be buried in landfill.

The unloading of the ship will take between four to five days.

“The initiatives related to the extraction, treatment and final disposal of waste are approved in a multi-sectorial manner by all the “The initiatives related to the extraction, treatment and final disposal of waste are approved in a multi-sectorial manner by all the competent authorities in this matter,” said First Lieutenant Víctor Herrera Atela, public relations officer of the Maritime Governorship of Puerto Montt.

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