Severe North Atlantic weather has caused additional damage to the grounded container ship MSC Baltic III, stranded on rocks near Lark Harbor, Newfoundland since February 2025.
Following a run of storms in late January, salvage crews carried out a site assessment focusing on cracking and hull buckling on both port and starboard sides. The Canadian Coast Guard reported the port-side crack has spread toward the stern, while the starboard-side buckling has extended further forward. Salvors also observed heavy ice on board, consistent with freezing temperatures and surf washing over the deck, which can add substantial weight to the vessel’s topsides.
Despite the expanding damage, CCG senior response officer Bruce English told The Telegram it is unlikely the wreck will break up. He said higher-grade steel in the deck is keeping the structure together, and wave action is pushing the hull together rather than pulling it apart.
Crews also found significant debris along the shoreline, much of it belonging to the salvors, English said, and reported no signs of oil pollution. When conditions allow safe access, the next step will be to reboard and skim any remaining oil residue in the tanks, with preparations focused on skimming operations once crews can get on board.
To date, nearly 1,700 tonnes of fuel oil and lubes have been removed, along with 409 of the 472 containers carried. English said removing the vessel itself will likely take years because of the difficult location and Newfoundland’s extreme weather.
Remaining pollution abatement and cargo removal work is expected to be included within the wreck-removal contract scope. Bidding is under way, and contractor selection is expected soon.
An intact refloat was described as exceptionally unlikely. English told The Telegram a rock pinnacle is sticking 12 feet up into the engine room, and evidence suggests another rock is sticking up somewhere in the No. 5 hold. He said this explains why the wreck has not shifted much from its initial position: it is pinned in place.
