Sulpicio names salvage firm to recover pesticide

MANILA, Philippines – The embattled Sulpicio Lines Inc on Monday said it has already found a company that would attempt to take out the toxic cargo from the ill-fated MV Princess of the Stars. The firm said it would take another two months to complete the operation. In a press statement, the Task Force Princess of the Stars said it has received word that Sulpicio has chosen the firm called the Titan Salvage to remove the 10-metric-ton cargo of pesticide endosulfan as well as other toxic chemicals and hydrocarbons loaded in the capsized vessel. Owned by the Florida-based logistics company Crowley Maritime Corporation, the Titan Salvage specializes in rescuing or righting sinking or capsized ships. The entire operation is expected to be completed within a maximum of 60 days from the day of the contract signing between Titan Salvage and the Sulpicio Lines. During the said salvage operation, the Titan Salvage will also bring in to the country’s waters its ships, equipment, and personnel from abroad. The Titan Salvage is set to coordinate not only with the Sulpicio Lines, but also with the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC), which heads the task force conducting the search and retrieval operations in the overturned ship. The salvage plan is scheduled to be released shortly, in consultation with the DOTC as chair of the Task Force Princess of the Stars. Earlier the DOTC had said that aside from endosulfan and hydrocarbon (fuel), other smaller shipments of chemicals like metamedopus, carbofuran, niclosemide, and proptineb needed to be extracted from the ship before it can be re-floated. The DOTC has given the Sulpicio Lines until 12:01 of Tuesday to name the company it would contract to re-float the capsized vessel. - Mark Merueñas, GMANews.TV