The grounding of the bulk carrier MS Oliva on Nightingale Island on 16th March 2011 had a major impact on local wildlife, notably penguins fouled by fuel oil. The islanders were awarded the RSPB Medal for a major clean-up operation they undertook.

MS Oliva Disaster Home Page

Linking to other Oliva-related pages:

Details of the first phase of the disaster up to Monday 21st March 2011: Oliva Wreck 1
A diary of the clean-up operation on Nightingale and Inaccessible from 21st March: Oliva Phase II News
News and pictures of the back-up operation on the main Tristan da Cunha Island : Oliva Tristan Diary
A page providing a Tristan Government view of the Oliva disaster as it unfolds: Oliva Government News
Impact of MS Oliva Disaster on Tristan's Fishing Industry: Oliva Fishing News (includes update December 2012)
MS Oliva's Impact on Tristan's Economy and Environment 2011-12: Oliva Impact 2011-12
Report explaining the cause of the grounding and safety lessons learned: MS Oliva Safety Report (Published November 2012)
MS Oliva Lifeboat washed up on South Australian Beach after 99 weeks: Oliva Lifeboat (Published February 2013)
Want to help? - Link to our How to Help Page

MS Oliva disaster in pictures

The 75,300 tonne bulk carrier MS Oliva
en route from Santos to Singapore with a cargo of whole raw soya beans
ran aground at Spinners Point on Nightingale Island
on 16th March 2011

Left: Photo from Tristan Conservation Team based on Nightingale Island on 16th March with MV Edinburgh alongside. 12 crew were rescued by MV Edinburgh on 16th March
A Malta Marine Safety Investigation Report was published in 2012 which explained the cause of the grounding and safety lessons learned - See the MS Oliva Safety Report for more details

The remaining 10 by zodiacs
operating from the cruise ship
Prince Albert II on 17th March

Pictures of MS Oliva
and the dramatic rescue
from Kristine Hannon
on 17th March

By 18th March MS Oliva had broken her back. The stern section capsized (see left and centre above) with the larger forward section firmly on the reef (Above right).

MS Oliva was carrying about
1500 tonnes of fuel oil which leaked out
as the ship became a wreck.
Soon distressing pictures were being taken
of oiled Northern Rockhopper Penguins

Photos from the Nightingale Island based Tristan Conservation Team of Simon Glass, Wayne Swain and Matthew Green

See: Oliva Outer Islands page

On 21st March the salvage tug Smit Amandla arrived from Cape Town
On 23rd March the first batch of oiled Northern Rockhopper Penguins were brought to Tristan aboard MV Edinburgh and into rehabilitation on the main island.

Right: Photo of the tug Smit Amandla and MV Edinburgh off the Tristan Settlement on 28th March

Photos show
Rockhopper Penguins
being brought ashore in boxes
on 25th March

Penguins in rehabilitation
on Tristan da Cunha

Pictures in the rehab shed
on 24th March

See Tristan Penguin Rehab Page

Fitter penguins released into the island's swimming pool
Right: Penguins voluntarily taking fish by hand

The penguins in rehab need a lot of food - pictures of Islanders landing and preparing fish.

See Oliva Fishing Page

Tristan pictures from Tina Glass, Estelle Van der Merwe and Katrine Herian

Sean Burns led a team aboard MV Edinburgh to visit the Tristan Conservation Team on Nightingale Island and to observe the worst polluted Middle or Alex Island for himself on 2nd April


See Outer Islands Page
First batch of penguins are released back to the ocean on Sunday 3rd April
See: Tristan Penguin Rehab Page
Penguin washing gets underway on 8th and the last batch of oiled penguins arrive from Nightingale on 10th April
See: Tristan Penguin Rehab Page

Cleaning the oil
from Alex Island
on 17th April

See Outer Islands Page
East Beach
Rockhopper Penguin
Release Pool

See: Tristan Penguin Rehab Page

Final Release
of 180 penguins
on 21st June

See: Tristan Penguin Rehab Page

Catch up on Oliva wreck surveys and impact of fishing

See: Oliva Impact Page

Maltese Government Marine Safety Report 2012 ~ See Oliva Safety Report
MS Oliva Disaster Home Page Linking to other Oliva-related pages:
Details of the first phase of the disaster up to Monday 21st March : Oliva Wreck 1
A diary of the clean-up operation on Nightingale and Inaccessible from 21st March: Oliva Phase II News
News and pictures of the back-up operation on the main Tristan da Cunha Island : Oliva Tristan Diary
A page providing a Tristan Government view of the Oliva disaster as it unfolds: Oliva Government News
Impact of MS Oliva Disaster on Tristan's Fishing Industry: Oliva Fishing News
MS Oliva's Impact on Tristan's Economy and Environment 2011-12: Oliva Impact 2011-12
Report explaining the cause of the grounding and safety lessons learned: MS Oliva Safety Report

Want to help? - Link to our How to Help Page

Other useful links within our site
Island Guides and Map : Nightingale Island ~ Inaccessible Island ~ Tristan Islands Map
Guides to key seabirds : Albatross ~ Penguins ~ Shearwaters