MV Alta, the cargo ship that grounded on the coast at Ballyandreane, Ballycotton a year ago, is according to Cork County Council to be continuing in monitoring the potential environmental and ecological impact posed by the wreck.

The vessel was grounded on February 16 of last year.

Since then, the council said it has been working on a series of actions on the MV Alta, in line with obligations under the Merchant Shipping Salvage and Wreck Act, 1993.

In February 2020, work was done to mitigate the potential pollution risk posed by oils on board the vessel. (Afloat adds, also that year there were plans to salvage the cargoship). 

In March and October, structural assessments of the ship were carried out. Another assessment is being carried out this month.

The council said a final report on the environmental and ecological assessment the wreck was completed last September.

Then, in December 2020, and last month, a team of international specialist consultants carried out an inventory of hazardous materials contained within the fabric of the vessel itself.

More from the Irish Examiner here. 

#NavalService - Use of drones by the Irish Naval Service is set to be stepped up in a bid to clamp down on illegal fishing and pollution offenses at sea.

Remotely operated pilot air systems writes the Irish Central have been identified by naval chiefs as essential for obtaining intelligence and keeping a check on Ireland's vast marine territory.

Sources also said naval operations tasked with gathering video evidence of illegal fishing and pollution offenses at sea as ones which would benefit from advanced drone technology.

The growing support for expanding the usage of drones on maritime missions follows the success of a pilot trial in the Mediterranean last year which saw the LE Eithne become the first naval vessel to use drone technology during its deployment on humanitarian rescue operations.

The missions, part of the EU-led Operation Sophia (see LE James Joyce deployment) trialed the Phantom 4 PRO, drones which can stay airborne for 35 minutes and which have a maximum range of eight kilometers.

More on the drone development, click the link here.