The oil pollution generated by the collision between cross-Med ferry Ulysse (IMO 9142459) and container ship CSL Virginia (IMO 9289568) has continued moving north, then following the Ligurian current to the southwest. The fuel has left iridescence in its wake. Wind and water contact has resulted in partial evaporation and dispersal. French and Italian forces were focusing on the fuel nearest to the coast. Reconnaissance flights were carried out by a customs aircraft on October 13th which showed an increasing fragmentation of the fuel and the formation of pellets.
Due to an expected deterioration of the weather, tug Abeille Flandres which had remained close to the CSL Virginia for monitoring, was repositioned near Toulon in anticipation of the announced strong wind.
French maritime authorities said that, based on the data from air surveillance, there were no longer significant fuel patches detected in the sea. Anti-pollution ships dispatched to the scene have collected over 1,000 cbm of fuel oil mixed with seawater. The Maritime Prefecture said that less than 2% of the spilled fuel remains in the water.
The remaining thick fuel oil has formed into pockets which are being tracked and cleaned up by anti-pollution vessels on the scene.
2005-built, Cyprus-flagged, 54,592 gt CSL Virginia is owned by Duraven Shipping Co Ltd care of manager Cyprus Sea Lines Co of Athens, Greece. It is entered with Britannia P&I Club on behalf of Duraven Shipping Co Ltd.
1997-built, Tunisia-flagged, 17,907 gt Ulysse is owned and managed by Contunav of Tunis, Tunisia. It is entered with UK P&I Club (Group London L3) on behalf of Cie Tunisienne de Navigation SA (COTUNAV).