Drug trafficking vessel MV Matthew to depart Cork Harbour on Friday evening

The MV Matthew is secured to a tug in Cork Harbour near Passage West as preparations continue ahead of its planned departure. Picture: Chani Anderson

Plans to tow the MV Matthew out of Cork Harbour are expected to go ahead on Friday evening after technical difficulties led to a postponement on Thursday.

The vessel, which has remained in Cork Harbour since cocaine worth €157m was discovered on board in September 2023, has been sold and is expected to travel to Bulgaria, where it will be refurbished and returned to service.

It had been due to leave Marino Point at 6pm on Thursday, but technical difficulties involving one of the four tugs assigned to the operation forced a postponement.

On Friday morning, the Port of Cork issued a fresh notice to mariners confirming revised arrangements for the tow.

It said the vessel is now scheduled to depart at approximately 6.30pm on Friday.

The update said: “The vessel will be towed from Marino Point to sea with the support of four tugs and will have no propulsion and limited steerage. The towage convoy will have priority in the main navigation channel for the duration of the operation. All small and non commercial vessels are asked to give the tow a wide berth, avoid crossing ahead of the convoy, and remain outside the main channel or in its margins along the intended route. The mv Matthew will follow Passage Plan 12.”

The port authority also asked mariners to monitor VHF Channel 12 for updates from Cork Harbour Radio and to follow any directions from the Harbour Master or authorised Port of Cork personnel.

Keeping the vessel in Cork Harbour has cost the State more than €16m.

The MV Matthew was seized after it was boarded by the Army Ranger Wing off the Cork coast on September 26, 2023.

Last July, eight men were sentenced to a total of 129 years' imprisonment for their roles in a botched drug-smuggling operation.

Some 2.25 tonnes of cocaine, worth about €157m, were found on board the MV Matthew.