Press Notice No: 17/09
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Posted 13:08 GMT

Photo-journalists and journalists are encouraged to go the Harbour Parade Car Park by the Maritime Museum at Ramsgate main beach between 3.00 pm and 4.00 pm where officials from various Agencies including the Receiver of Wreck will be available to speak about the washed up wood and contingency plans on its disposal.

Notes to Editors

The timber cargo that broke free from the vessel Sinegorsk when she listed to 15 degrees in the English Channel has started to come ashore between Dover and Margate and Ramsgate.
Up to 1500 metric tonnes of sawn timber was lost from the deck of the vessel whilst she was on passage to Alexandria in Egypt from Oskarshamn in Sweden.
Contractors have been appointed by the Insurers to recover the lost cargo.
Kent County Council are co-ordinating the local authority response. A timber reporting line has been established by Kent County Council. Any member of the public sighting washed up timber cargo are requested to call 08458 247247.
Kent Police are working closely with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the Receiver of Wreck. The Police have been authorised by the Receiver of Wreck to act on her behalf.
People failing to comply with their directions could be committing an offence and may be arrested, and failure to report recovery of timber to the Receiver of Wreck is a criminal offence, on conviction, you may be fined up to £2,500.
Under Sections 236 and 237 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995: an offence would be committed:
where a vessel is wrecked ... any person (who) conceals or keeps possession of any such cargo or refuses to deliver any such cargo or article to the receiver. It is also an offence of failing to report the wreck to the receiver.


Posted By: Fiona Warren

For further details contact:
The Maritime & Coastguard Agency Press Office
023 8032 9401