Published Saturday, 07 January 2012
Crews have spent the day removing the cargo of the Genmar Companion, which has been stranded off the Copeland Islands since 16 December.
It was anchored there after a crack was discovered on its upper deck as it sailed from Rotterdam to New York to deliver 54,000 tonnes of vacuum gas oil.
Once the oil has been carried onto another vessel the ship can be repaired at Belfast harbour, but the transfer is expected to take up to 36 hours.
Environment Minister Alex Attwood has welcomed the operation, which began on Friday after several weather delays and resumed on Saturday morning.
He said: "I am continuing to keep a close eye on the situation and one of my officials boarded the receiving vessel with MCA colleagues just prior to the berthing."
A crew of 32 people have been stranded on the ship since the crack was discovered - amongst them is a two-year-old girl.
There is a one mile exclusion zone around the vessels to give the tugs a safe working area.
Alan Chambers, an Independent councillor for North Down, has repeatedly voiced his concern regarding the possibility of pollution during the transfer.
He told UTV he is worried about any possible environmental impact the maritime operation may have on the stretch of coastline, which is an area of scientific interest.
"The Copeland islands are home to a great deal of bird life so any form of pollution would be a total disaster for this area.
"My main concern is that this whole thing started in Rotterdam and culminated in the ship getting into distress off the coast of Ireland in the Atlantic Ocean and suddenly it has appeared here two miles off the North Down coast.
"I just don't believe it is our problem but it has suddenly become our problem."