Almost a year after the container ship MSC Baltic III ran aground on the west coast of Newfoundland, it is still facing challenges due to harsh winter conditions in the North Atlantic. Recent inspections show that the damage to the ship's hull is worsening, complicating salvage efforts and raising environmental worries.

The ship, which is 207 meters long, lost power and ran aground near Wild Cove in the Bay of Islands on February 15, 2025, during a severe winter storm. Fortunately, all 20 crew members were rescued safely by a Royal Canadian Air Force helicopter shortly after the incident.

When weather has permitted inspections, teams have reported significant new structural damage. Salvage teams found cracks and buckling on both sides of the hull, indicating that the deterioration has advanced beyond what was seen in earlier evaluations.

The Canadian Coast Guard provided an update, stating, “The assessments noted additional damage on both sides. The crack on the port side has spread toward the stern, and the buckling on the starboard side has moved forward.”

Heavy ice has also made salvage operations more difficult.

Conditions worsened significantly after a series of strong storms in early December. Inspections on December 7 and 8 revealed new buckling in the steel plates on both sides of the hull, with the stern settling lower in the water. Since then, the ship has experienced multiple breaches in the hull and has partially sunk onto the seabed, making it unlikely that it can be refloated easily.

Environmental monitoring has yielded mixed results. While no new oil pollution was found during the latest shoreline inspections and drone flights after the storm, longer-term monitoring has shown an increase in oiled debris washing up on nearby beaches.

“A significant amount of debris was found onshore after the last storm, which is expected,” the Coast Guard reported.

At the time of the grounding, the ship was carrying heavy fuel oil, marine gas oil, and around 470 containers, most of which were empty. Salvage teams have removed most of the remaining fuel and unloaded hundreds of containers, but as of December, 65 containers were still trapped below deck and submerged. These containers need to be lifted, drained, and removed, which can only be done in calm weather.

Ongoing winter conditions are still restricting access to the wreck. A cableway has been set up from the shore to the ship, allowing crews to reach it during brief breaks in the weather, but these opportunities are rare.

“When it is safe for the crews to access the vessel, the focus will shift to preparing for skimming operations to remove any floating oil still in the tanks,” the Coast Guard stated.

The Coast Guard has established an emergency safety zone around the area and emphasizes that its main priorities are stabilizing the wreck, minimizing the risk of pollution, and preparing for the next phase of salvage once conditions improve.