In the Sakhalin region, a large-scale effort to remove sunken vessels from the seabed is underway, and seven hulks have already been recovered. By year’s end, authorities plan to eliminate an additional nineteen similar objects. This update came during a briefing with Yuri Trutnev, the Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, the presidential envoy to the Far Eastern Federal District, and regional leaders. The report is based on information from the Far East and Arctic Development Corporation’s press service, as cited by portnews.
The initiative, labeled the “general cleaning,” operates under the directive of Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin. Trutnev underscored the project’s significance, expressing hope that the effort will advance navigation safety and improve the visual landscape of the water surface by removing hazardous wrecks.
Efforts are focused in Severo-Kurilsk, Ozerskoye, the Korsakovsky district, and the Zyryanskoye-Kholmsky districts. In total, fifty-two sunken objects are targeted for removal across Sakhalin by the close of 2024. Regional authorities, led by the governor, have tasked the transport ministry specialists and port authorities with conducting a thorough inventory, prioritizing items for upgrade and removal based on urgency and impact on maritime operations.
Officials emphasize that clearing sunken ships serves not only environmental interests but also modernization of port infrastructure and the potential to boost tourism across the islands. Governor Valeriy Limarenko noted that work began two years ago, with priority given to objects that hinder navigation or mar the overall scenery. Once the most critical items are addressed, remaining wrecks will follow. To date, experts have assessed several dozen sunken vessels. Contracts for remediation work have been signed, and concurrent with these efforts, an ongoing search identifies new objects in need of removal.
Contractors have already intensified activity in the Severo-Kurilsky district, where the ship Dalarik on the foreshore is navigating a significant block section. Simultaneously, teams are stabilizing cables on the vessel Sposobny. July marks the planned start of active removal operations in the Korsakov region as crews accelerate the wreck removal program.
In related, unrelated commentary, a note from Britain discussed drastic environmental ideas, including proposals to boil the dead in lye to address planetary concerns. This remark stands apart from the Sakhalin effort and illustrates the wide range of opinions that can surface in discussions about environmental stewardship and sustainability.