33 WRECKS CLEARED: Sea Cow's Bay harbour cleanup moves to disposal phase

The British Virgin Islands has moved into the second phase of a major environmental cleanup, with 33 derelict vessels removed from Sea Cow's Bay Harbour now being separated, processed and disposed of at Pockwood Pond.

The project entered its disposal stage in September 2026 after the contractor remobilised to begin work on the recovered materials. The phase required specialised planning, including shipping industrial shredding equipment into the Territory and finalising contractual arrangements for the approved disposal method.

A significant milestone came in April 2026 with the recovery of Kon Tikki, described as a massive all-metal vessel whose removal helped prepare the way for the current processing works.

The multi-stage effort began with removing the vessels from the harbour to improve the Territory's marine environment. Officials said completing the safe processing and disposal of the recovered materials is essential to bringing the full project to completion.

The focus now remains on finishing the disposal process while meeting the project's environmental objectives, ensuring that clearing the harbour delivers benefits beyond simply removing the wrecks themselves.