Boskalis has reached the final phase of the Blue Carrier 2 salvage operation in Greece, with its subsidiary SMIT Salvage now focusing on the safe and environmentally responsible disposal of waste generated by a fire aboard the roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) carrier.
The latest phase follows firefighting and deck-by-deck cargo discharge operations carried out in cooperation with Greek salvage specialist MEGATUGS Salvage & Towage at the port of Elefsis, west of Athens.
In a company update, Boskalis confirmed that the recovery operation had entered its third and final stage. The remaining work concerns the handling and disposal of waste left by the onboard fire.
The company did not disclose the quantity of waste requiring disposal, the treatment arrangements or an expected completion date.
The salvage operation began following a fire aboard Blue Carrier 2 on 25 September 2026 while the vessel was operating in Greek waters near Mykonos.
The fire forced all 29 people aboard to evacuate. The evacuees comprised 28 crew members and one truck driver, all of whom were taken to safety.
At the time of the incident, the Greek-flagged RoRo vessel was carrying 166 trucks and 29 passenger vehicles on its scheduled service linking Piraeus, Syros, Vathy, Kos and Rhodes.
The initial emergency response involved firefighting vessels, tugs and the Greek authorities. The vessel was subsequently moved to sheltered waters southwest of Tinos, where firefighting and stabilisation operations continued.
Salvage personnel also had to address the vessel’s stability after substantial quantities of water were used to control the fire and cool the ship’s structure.
SMIT Salvage and MEGATUGS Salvage & Towage subsequently brought the fire under control and sought permission to tow the damaged carrier to Elefsis.
The vessel reached Elefsis on 7 October, allowing the recovery operation to proceed to cargo discharge and further assessment of the fire-damaged spaces.
According to Boskalis, salvage personnel worked through the cargo decks sequentially, removing cargo one deck at a time.
The operation was coordinated with fire investigation teams, according to information published by SMIT Salvage personnel.
The cargo discharge work preceded the current waste disposal phase. However, Boskalis did not provide a detailed breakdown of the quantities of damaged cargo removed or the materials remaining for disposal.
The company’s latest update confirms a further stage in the recovery of Blue Carrier 2, following the initial firefighting response, relocation to Elefsis and cargo removal operations.
The cause of the original fire has not been established in the information reviewed. Boskalis has also not announced a final assessment of the vessel’s structural condition or its subsequent repair arrangements.
The final phase remains focused on disposing of the fire-related waste safely and in an environmentally responsible manner.
