The Emsland is a 1857 GT cargo vessel which was carrying a cargo of 1776 tons of timber logs and bunkers of 33.7 tons of marine diesel oil and 1.5 tons of lube oil, which may have posed a threat to the environment had it been released.

All earlier attempts refloat the vessel had failed and officers of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency including the Secretary of State's representative (SOSREP) set up a salvage control unit to oversee the salvage of the vessel and minimise the risk of pollution. The SCU included representatives from the Scottish Environment Group. Svitzer Wijsmuller were contracted as salvors. Over 40 tonnes of fuel oil were removed from the vessel and a shallow draught landing craft was brought onto site and a crane installed. Coastguard lighting gear was also set up locally and at just after 2.00 a.m. this morning, operations began to try and remove the timber cargo. By mid morning over 500 tons of cargo had been removed and at around 1.30 pm the vessel had moved enough to come off the Bank.

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