The heaviest debris from shipping containers that broke apart after falling off a ship — including dozens of fridges — has been lifted by helicopters off beaches at Cape Palmerston on northwest Vancouver Island after a weekend cleanup.
The focus now turns to Guise Beach, a long sandy beach south of the Cape Scott Lighthouse.
Clean-up crews were hired by Greece-based Danaos Shipping, owner of the Zim Kingston, which lost an estimated 109 containers during heavy seas off the west side of the Island Oct. 22, while on its way to Vancouver from South Korea.
They began work Friday to remove the wide variety of debris that has washed up on remote beaches from some of the four shipping containers found so far, which, along with fridges, includes yoga mats, board games, plastic-wrapped toys, boots, and small backpacks decorated with cartoon characters.
“By Sunday afternoon a total of 71 refrigerators, 81 bags of Styrofoam, 19 bags of garbage, and 11 helicopter bags of garbage were flown off of Cape Palmerston beach and into metal bins in a nearby parking lot,” said a statement Monday from Unified Command, a multi-agency body set up to manage the situation.
Of the four shipping containers found so far, one is fully open, having lost most of one side. Its metal is twisted and banged up and another container is damaged.
Plans are in the works to take all four containers away.
Lightkeepers and vessel operators have been asked to report any sightings of the containers to Unified Command. An aviation notice has also been issued to report any containers.
First Nations members are working with an environmental unit, part of Unified Command, to identify resources at risk.
The Canadian Coast Guard is warning anyone who finds a container not to open it. Two of the missing containers hold hazardous substances. Anyone spotting a container is asked to call 1-800-889-8852.
Steven Fraser of Telegraph Cove headed to Palmerston Beach on Saturday to see the debris for himself and to do some cleanup. Fridges had been moved above the high-tide mark so that they wouldn’t wash away.
Fraser came across the container that had lost a side and was balanced on a rocky part of the shore. “It’s empty. There’s only two little pieces of plywood inside it. I couldn’t believe it.”
He collected five bags of Styrofoam, which was used to pack the fridges and which he called one of the worst things to get into the ocean, since it breaks up into tiny pieces that birds and fish will try to eat.
After the Zim Kingston lost the containers, it made its way to an anchorage at Constance Bank off Victoria, where it remains for now.
A fire that broke out among the containers on board now appears to be extinguished, allowing work to start on the weekend to stabilize the remaining cargo.
Transport Canada officials are reviewing results of a vessel inspection. Government agencies are working together as they consider plans to eventually move the ship to a new location where cargo can be loaded. That new spot has not yet been determined.
Results of water testing to see if fires contaminated the marine surroundings are expected this week.
It remains unclear why the Zim Kingston waited offshore where it lost its cargo. The Port of Vancouver has said there were several anchorages available to the ship.
Ship representatives said Monday an investigation will be carried out and it would inappropriate to comment at this point.
cjwilson@timescolonist.com
