In the next one week or thereabouts, necessary measures will be taken to salvage National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA)’s operational boat, christened Recovery 1, which, reportedly, was on the verge of sinking due to corrosion and under-surface leakage.
This assurance was given on Friday (July 12, 2024) when the Director-General/Chief Executive (DG/CE) of NOSDRA, Engr. Chukwuemeka Woke, paid an assessment visit to the vessel docked at the NNS Pathfinder Naval Base Jetty in Rumuorlumeni area of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
During the guided inspection of NOSDRA’s Recovery I by the DG/CE, accompanied by the Assistant Director/Head of NOSDRA Reference Laboratory (NRL) in Port Harcourt, Dr. Kenneth N. Aroh, and other staffers, apart from Nigerian Navy (NN) officials, it was observed that the engine compartment was partly submerged as the vessel was seen in a slanty position towards the sea, plung-ins around the engine’s floor compartment temporarily underneath areas appeared to be the source of leakage and water reportedly trapped around the engine section had been pumped out.
While thanking the personnel of NNS Pathfinder Naval Base Jetty, particularly the Admin Gunboat officer, for prompt preliminary actions they had already taken to offset the boat from sinking, Engr. Woke assured that other salvaging measures, including dry docking of the vessel and the requisite repairs, would soon commence to address the matter in the interest of effective and unencumbered oil spill response in the marine environment.
of the boat.
after the inspection of the Recovery 1 vessel.