Stranded Livestock Carrier on Croatian Coast Raises Environmental Concerns

A livestock carrier that ran aground on the coast of Croatia in April 2024 is still stuck on the rocks ten months later, causing concern for local communities. The vessel, named Deala, suffered hull damage and flooding in its engine room when it drifted in strong winds and grounded on a rocky shore at the entrance to Raska Bay. Despite expectations for a prompt refloat operation, the ship remains stranded as the owner has abandoned the salvage efforts, leaving it protected only by a pollution control boom.

The bay where the vessel is grounded is an environmentally-protected area and a popular tourist attraction, raising worries among local politicians about potential long-term ecological and economic damage from pollution. The mayors of the towns of Marcana and Barban have expressed their determination to have the ship removed to preserve the sea, environment, and tourism in the area. Neven Ivesa, a professor at a nearby university, suggested that cutting up the ship in sections on-site may be the safest option to prevent harm from a refloat attempt, though it would be more costly than a traditional tow-away operation.

With months passing without any progress, the issue of the stranded livestock carrier has escalated from a local concern to a national threat that demands urgent action. Marcana mayor Predrag Plisko emphasized the importance of upholding environmental and safety standards to protect the residents and businesses in the affected municipalities of Marcana, Barban, and Rasa. The cost of a standard refloat operation for the small ship has been estimated at around $3 million, but the potential risks and consequences of further delays in removing the vessel outweigh the financial considerations.

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