Description: In December 2018, the trawler Northguider ran aground at Sparreneset on Svalbard, in the harsh and unforgiving Arctic environment. The crew was safely evacuated, but the vessel remained stranded, posing a significant environmental threat due to its fuel and cargo.
The initial emergency response involved the challenging task of offloading fuel and hazardous materials from the ship, all while contending with extreme cold, ice, and darkness. The remote location and severe weather conditions made the operation particularly perilous.
The salvage operation required meticulous planning and was spread over two seasons due to the unpredictable and shifting sea ice. The first season's efforts were thwarted by the relentless ice, forcing the team to abandon their initial plan and rethink their approach.
In the following season, with revised strategies and improved methodologies, the salvage team successfully removed the wreckage of Northguider. This operation not only highlighted the resilience and ingenuity of the salvage crew but also underscored the complexities of conducting such missions in one of the world's most challenging environments.
Description: The presentation provided presents the details of accident at a fuel storage of Norilsk Nickel in 2020, methods and techniques used for restoring the environment, measures taken to prevent similar emergencies in the future.
Affiliation: Norwegian Coastal Administration
Bio: Lill Veronika Benjaminsen is a Senior Legal Advisor at the Norwegian Coastal Administration, specializing in emergency preparedness and environmental risk management. She has experience from Arctic operations, particularly in Svalbard. She has been involved in several wreck handling projects, and she played a central role in the Northguider wreck removal project, supervising the wreck removal on behalf of the government.
Affiliation: Ministry of the Russian Federation for civil defense, emergencies and elimination of consequences of natural disasters (EMERCOM of Russia)