The final cost of salvaging the HMNZS Manawanui could run into the hundreds of millions of dollars, depending on what happens with the wreck.
Salvors in Samoa are currently taking fuel off the sunken vessel – at least some of the bill is paid for by the equivalent of third-party insurance.
Defence Minister Judith Collins said she couldn’t discuss costs because of commercial confidentiality.
“But we do have insurance and essentially third party insurance, so we are doing what we can – I mean, obviously Defence Force is supplying a lot of staff, a lot of equipment, all these things happening, but a lot of that is working with insurers”.
Deputy Chief of Navy Commodore Andrew Brown said the focus was on fuel removal, which had been successful despite some challenging poor weather conditions.
The salvage companies’ contracts were purely for the removal of fuel and other pollutants, and they are required to leave Manawanui as they found it, he says.
The New Zealand and Samoan Governments and officials were negotiating various options, including whether the Manawanui is removed or not, and “those are being worked through as a matter of priority as to what next for the next phases post the fuel removal phase”.
Commodore Brown said the latest test results of seawater surrounding the wreck showed low levels and no increase of the hydrocarbons found in diesel fuel.
“We were very pleased that the Samoan Maritime Pollution Advisory Committee just before Christmas, based on their own test results, reduced the size of the precautionary zaone, which allowed the community to expand their ability to fish and conduct fishing activities in the area”.
Collins confirmed the Manawanui would not be replaced as the HMNZS Otago could pick up much of the work it was tasked with before sinking.
“I understand there’s quite a lot of equipment on that ship it has the capability to do most of the work that the Manawanui did”.
