Salvage teams have begun dismantling the grounded containership MSC Baltic III off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada, more than a year after the vessel ran aground during a winter storm.
According to the latest update from the Canadian Coast Guard, favorable weather conditions have allowed recovery crews to increase access to the wreck site near Cedar Cove, approximately 30 miles from Corner Brook. A barge has been positioned alongside the vessel, and workers have started removing materials from the ship as preparations for dismantling continue.
Onshore infrastructure is also being developed to support the operation. Crews are constructing a switchback road to the beach, allowing heavy equipment and trucks to reach the site, while existing access roads have been upgraded.
MSC and its insurers appointed Resolve Marine to carry out the wreck removal project. The operation follows an extensive cleanup campaign completed in 2025, during which 409 of the 462 containers on board were removed, including dangerous cargo. Approximately 1,700 tonnes of fuel were also recovered from the vessel.
The current phase will focus on removing the remaining containers, residual fuel, contaminated water, and other materials still aboard the ship. Salvage crews are also preparing the vessel for dismantling by installing rigging points and reinforcing structures.
The removal plan calls for the vessel to be cut at a damaged section of the hull. The bow section will be pulled onto the beach, dismantled piece by piece, and transported away for recycling. Once that work is completed, a similar process will be carried out on the stern section.
Resolve Marine expects the first phase of dismantling to continue throughout 2026, although operations may pause during the winter due to harsh weather conditions. Additional removal work is expected to continue into 2027.
The Canadian Coast Guard reports that the wreck remains stable, but inspections have revealed significant structural deterioration following winter storms and ice conditions. The vessel has sustained major hull damage, including cracks and buckling on both sides of the ship.
MSC Baltic III ran aground in February 2025 after suffering a blackout during severe weather while approaching Newfoundland. The entire crew was rescued in a helicopter operation, and the vessel eventually settled along the shoreline with part of the stern resting on the seabed.
