Clearing shipwrecks

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will hold a two-day conference in Kuwait next week to discuss action needed to ensure the safe removal of shipwrecks in Iraqi waters. Some 282 wrecks have been identified in Iraqi waters. But there are thought to be many more unidentified both in the country's waters and in neighbouring territorial waters. The meeting, held on 5-6 October in conjunction with the Regional Organisation for the Protection of the Marine Environment (ROPME), follows the release of a UNDP survey in September, which said that the vessels could pose an environmental hazard if not removed safely. "This is an opportunity to share the findings of the survey with the potential donors and also get some consensus on funding," wreck removal adviser for the UNDP, Paul Clifford, told IRIN from Kuwait. The survey was completed earlier in the year and looked at 40 different shipwrecks. Donors from a cross section of society will attend, Clifford said, with discussions expected to cover pollution levels, contamination treatment, explosive ordnance concerns and the methodology of shipwreck removal. "The current is very strong in the area where the vesels are so a lot of pollution is being carried out to the Gulf and is spreading." Most of the vessels sank during conflicts over the past 12 years or so and in the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war. They vary in size from tugs to huge oil tankers and have impeded access to Iraq’s two major deep-water ports of Umm Qasr and Az Zubair, both in the south of the country. Five priority packages will be presented for donor consideration: Removal of priority wrecks from Khawr Abd Allah, which UNDP will dredge in November; removal of wrecks from berths at Umm Qasr port; urgent environmental concerns, including collection and treatment of crude oil; the removal of priority wrecks from Khawr az Zubayr and the berths at Al Zubayr port; and the removal of wrecks from Kuwaiti waters. The cost of removing each vessel depends on the size. The UN agency estimates from US $1 million per vessel, up to $8 million. Costs of removal will be presented to donors in packages of up to $30 million, UNDP Iraq officials said. The conference will also look at how and if the vessels have affected the delivery of humanitarian aid, Clifford explained. Last year Umm Qasr, the main port facility in southern Iraq, was closed temporarily during the US-led conflict. However, it reopened soon after it was made operational for aid and reconstruction deliveries, as well as general cargo. According to experts, the port is only able to deal with some 300,000 mt per month at present due to continuing reconstruction work. Before the war, the port could easily deal with half a million mt per month. Over the past year, UNDP has been involved in a series of projects opening safe access channels to Iraqi ports through dredging, salvage and removal of shipwrecks.