Divers face difficulty pumping fuel from harder-to-reach areas of Manawanui

By Lagi Keresoma/

Apia, Samoa – 28 January 2025 –  The divers pumping fuel off the sunken Manawanui vessel are facing a tough task as they prepare to pump fuel from tanks that are harder to reach of the vessel 35 meters deep on the ocean floor.

In the latest update from the New Zealand Senior National Representative for Operation Resolution, Commodore Andrew Brown, he said the salvors have pumped the fuel and other pollutants from the larger and more accessible tanks.

“Now they are preparing to pump liquids from harder to reach areas, and once the tanks are pumped of fuel and other pollutants, the tanks are then sealed,” said Brown.

He said it is a complex and technical process.

“Manawanui is lying around 35 meters deep on its side adding to the complexity,” said Brown.

He said due to the deteriorating weather, the salvors towed the barge from the south west coast back to Apia earlier and offloaded tanktainers with recovered fuel and other pollutants at the Apia Port.

The salvor barge in position over HMNZS Manawanui in Samoa.

The divers and salvors are in the second cycle of removing fuel and other pollutants which according to Brown is well underway with the salvors making excellent progress in favourable weather conditions.

He said the salvors have recovered a significant amount of liquid, a mix of fuel and other pollutants along with seawater which has been pumped from the tanks in the ship into tanktainers on the barge.

“At this stage we can’t confirm the exact amount of fuel and other pollutants remove from the ship until all liquid recovered has been processed.”

Brown said the fuel and other pollutants have been mixed with seawater during the extraction process and possibility with other contaminants as a result of the damage sustained during the grounding and sinking.