Yacht Fire, Counter Pollution & Salvage, Chichester Marina

Published 15 October 2025

As an accredited Marine Oil Spill Response Organisation (OSRO), we were mobilised by Premier Marinas following a significant incident involving a yacht fire within the busy Chichester Marina.

The fire resulted in the sinking of two vessels and the release of debris, fuel residues, and chemical contaminants into the marina basin, with visible contamination of surrounding pontoons and adjacent vessels posing a significant environmental and operational risk.

We were tasked with leading the counter-pollution response and coordinating the complex salvage operation. The incident required a multi-agency approach involving marine surveyors, fire investigators, loss adjustors, environmental specialists, salvage crews, and commercial divers.

Initial assessments identified:

A visible surface sheen extending across multiple berths
Submerged hazards from the sunken vessels
Hydrocarbon contamination on pontoons and adjacent hulls
Potential structural instability of the affected vessels

The Solution

What followed was a complex, multi-agency operation involving:

Immediate Counter-Pollution Measures: Containment booms and absorbent booms were deployed to contain and recover surface hydrocarbons.
Dive Surveys: Commercial divers conducted underwater inspections to assess vessel integrity, identify hazards, and support salvage planning.
Salvage Operations: Lifting operations were carefully timed to coincide with favourable wind and weather conditions. Both vessels were successfully raised using a 175t crane and stabilised for safe removal.
Decontamination: Manual cleaning of pontoons and surrounding infrastructure was carried out using low-pressure jetting and absorbents. All waste was classified and consigned as hazardous.
Fire Investigation Support: Investigators worked in parallel with salvage teams to preserve evidence and determine the cause of the fire.

Project Outcomes

Rapid Deployment: The response team was mobilised and on site within hours of the incident.
Environmental Protection: No further spread of contamination occurred beyond the initial impact zone.
Safe Recovery: Both vessels were successfully salvaged without incident.
Waste Management: Over 2,000 litres of contaminated liquid and 200kg of solid hazardous waste were safely recovered and disposed of.
Zero Safety Incidents: All operations were completed without injury or environmental breach.