Louis counters Sea Diamond pollution claims

Louis Plc subsidiary Louis Hellenic Cruises, operator of the Sea Diamond that sank off the coast of Santorini in early April, said that the fuel clean up operation is still underway with international experts working to prevent environmental damage.

The announcement followed allegations from local authorities in Greece that insisted that a quantity of fuel that remained in the ship’s tanks was a disaster waiting to happen.

Louis Hellenic Cruises said in an announcement that, “since the day of the accident  and even before it was evident that the vessel would sink, we immediately appointed a company specializing in the prevention and management of sea pollution. The company, one of the most reputable in the Eastern Mediterranean, has been on site since Day One and it is widely acknowledged that the work conducted so far is excellent and effective.”

The announcement added that, “despite the high cost of such a daily operation, every effort is being made, in close cooperation with the [Hellenic] Coast Guard, to prevent any effect to the environment or any third party. As a result, environmental damages that occurred due to previous incidents in other places of the world were in this case prevented.”

The company said that it also proceeded to hire the services of London Offshore Consultants Ltd” (LOC), an internationally respected expert in the field, to examine the feasibility of pumping the remaining fuel from the ship’s tanks, the great majority of which has already surfaced.

The services of the Hellenic Center of Marine Research, a government organization, were also hired and with the help of specialized unmanned underwater equipment, high resolution images from the wreck and its precise position were collected.

“This material is now being examined by LOC in order to enable for their expert opinion on whether such a risky operation would be feasible, given the damage suffered as she fell down the side of the cliff and the current position of the vessel at depths of approximately 350 feet. This expert opinion is expected within the next few days,” the Louis announcement said.

Louis Hellenic Cruises said that it has also asked the Hellenic Center of Marine Research to conduct a survey and submit a report on any possible environmental impact in the area of the wreck, despite the additional costs that such a study entails.

“Louis has for the past few decades been taking thousands of passengers to the island of Santorini and continues to do so, on a weekly basis and therefore fully shares the concern and will of the local population in protecting the environment,” the announcement said.