Pollution

Citation

(2005), "Pollution", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 14 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/dpm.2005.07314dac.002

Pollution

24 August 2004Prestige (Bahamas)

The team of offshore specialists working to extract the remaining fuel oil from the wreck of crude oil tanker Prestige believes it will complete the operation by the end of September, several weeks ahead of schedule. This positive forecast comes despite the team having to postpone work twice in as many weeks because of bad weather. The operation, which has broken new ground in offshore technology, was due to be completed by the middle of October. But the success of the work so far has exceeded all expectations, prompting officials to speculate that, assuming the weather holds, the extraction could be over by the last week in September.

23 September 2004. More than four-fifths of the fuel remaining in the crude oil tanker Prestige which sank off Spain’s north-western coast in November 2002 has been pumped out of the vessel, an official spokeswoman said today. According to the spokeswoman with the government commission overseeing the pumping operation, 2,389 tonnes of fuel remain in the vessel, lying at a depth of 4,000 metres some 250 kilometres off Spain’s Atlantic coast. Work to extract the remaining 13,089 tonnes of fuel from the shattered hulk of the vessel began in June and the official spokeswoman said what now remained was due to be pumped by the end of September.

10 September 2004. The last few tonnes of sticky toxic fuel oil have been sucked out of the wreck of the crude oil tanker Prestige, Spain said today, almost two years after it went down in the country’s worst environmental disaster. “In recent days they have completed the extraction of fuel from the wreck,” Deputy Prime Minister Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega told a news conference. “We can say that 13,000 tonnes have been extracted,” she said, adding the government had not yet decided what to do with the fuel. Coming up with a plan to deal with the wreck took months, partly because it lay 3.8 kilometres down on the seabed. Spain considered building a concrete tomb around the wreck but finally opted to suck out the 13,000 tonnes that remained. The other 64,000 tonnes have been painstakingly scooped out of the sea and cleaned off Galicia’s rocky beaches. Environmental groups complain it could take a decade for the eco-system to recover. De la Vega said scientists would continue to investigate and work on damage to algae and the seabed.

14 September 2004. Lawyers acting for Apostolos Mangouras, master of the crude oil tanker Prestige, continue their efforts to have his bail conditions eased while he awaits trial. A fresh appeal was filed with a Spanish court this summer, the third such case now in progress in the run-up to the second anniversary of the casualty next November. Several earlier appeals have been knocked back and the master is still required to remain in Spain and report weekly to police, despite having deposited a $3.6m bail. His treatment has been widely criticised. This is not least because, under Spanish law, people aged 70 or over have strong grounds to avoid prison sentences if ultimately found guilty. Capt Mangouras will celebrate his 70th birthday next January.

30 September 2004. The judge investigating the case involving crude oil tanker Prestige has rejected the latest appeal by lawyers acting for the vessel’s Greek master, Apostolos Mangouras, to allow him to travel home to Greece. The decision comes despite firm assurances from the Greek government that Capt Mangouras, 69, will return for trial in Spain once a date is set. Lawyers acting for the Spanish government say they would not oppose a lifting of the travel ban.

4 September 2004Karnaphuli River, Bangladesh

Crude oil pumped through a faulty hydraulic valve in the supply line of crude oil tanker Banglar Shourabh caused an oil spillage in the Bay of Bengal on the night of 27 August according to a draft report by the two-member committee formed by Chittagong Port Authority to probe the oil spillage, it was learnt from official sources. The committee completed its draft report on Thursday (2 September) but did not submit it to the authorities. The vessel was carrying some 990.3 tonnes of crude. The report said the crude was loaded in ballast tanks instead of cargo tanks, where it was supposed to be kept. This is an irregularity, the committee said. The head of the probe body, Captain Faridul Alam, who is also the Assistant Harbour Master of CPA, unofficially informed the Shipping Secretary Ismail Jabiullah of the findings in a meeting at Chittagong Port rest house on Thursday. CPA Chairman AMM Shahadat Hossain, Bangladesh Shipping Corporation managing director Captain Azizul Haq and other officials concerned were also present. The probe body also made six recommendations to prevent such an oil spillage in the future. These are precautionary measures while carrying oil in such tankers and replacement of the hydraulic valves of the supply lines. The oil spillage spread over an area of some 15 km in the Bay and in the port channel of the Karnaphuli River, causing extensive pollution. Scores of dead fish started surfacing on the sea, creating concern in different quarters. The spillage also prompted the formation of two other probe bodies, one by the Marine Fisheries Department and the other by the Bangladesh Forest Research Institute in Cox’s Bazar.

6 September 2004. Bangladesh Ministry of Shipping has formed a high-powered seven-member committee headed by Captain Ahsanul Azim, Director General of the Directorate of Shipping, to investigate the recent environmentally oil spillage at the Chittagong Port and its adjourning area from lighterage vessel crude oil tanker Banglar Shourabh two weeks ago. According to a local report, the other members of the committee are Director of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority Captain Azizul Hasan, Principal Officer of Marine and Mercantile Department, Captain Shafique Ullah, Assistant Harbour Master of CPA Faridul Alam, Deputy Commandant of Marine Academy Captain Amirul Haque and two representatives from the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation and Eastern Refinery Limited. They are expected to submit the report within 15 days. Earlier, an official of Bangladesh state owned largest shipping company said that our finding says that mishap happened due to an accidental ingress of oil through a hole caused by corrosion of the ballast water pipe line which passed through cargo tanks. Hence, in that condition when the cargo was discharged completely, the trim of the vessel increased to about five metre by the aft and because of the backpressure and a crack opening of a ballast water ship side valve the oil possibly found its way to the river water, he revealed. Unfortunately, the vessels crew at the first instance could not detect it. However, at day light on 28 August they discovered that droplets of oil coming out of water close to side shell plating. Chittagong Port Authority in fact did not detain the vessel. He further added that at present we are rectifying the ballast water line leakage, which had been found in No. 3 centre cargo oil tank. Besides that, we are trying to separate the contaminated oil on top of ballast water mainly in No. 2 port ballast water tank. Three other tanks have also traces of oil. He had expressed hope that we are hopeful to get rid of all these unwanted contaminated oil-water mixture before commencement of the next lighterage operation, which is due on 7 September.

11 September 2004. The Department of Environment (DOE) has submitted its inquiry report on the disposal of fuel from crude oil tanker Banglar Shourabh into the Karnaphuli River. The report said such disposal of fuel has caused pollution of water in the river and it recommended realisation of compensation from the BSC. The committee, led by Md Mostafizur Rahman, Senior Chemist of the DOE, Chittagong, handed over the report to the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA), sources said. The report also said the committee procured fuel-mixed water from eight points of the river and after the chemical test of the samples of water it was found that the fuel-mixed water was harmful for the flora and fauna. The report further said that, due to heavy disposal of fuel, it has created an adverse effect on trees and bushes in the adjoining areas of the river.

10 September 2004Lucky Lady (Malta)

Lucky Lady touched bottom while approaching discharge berth at Cilacap this morning. Underwater damage was sustained, resulting in leakage of about 1,000 tonnes of the vessel’s cargo of crude oil. The Lucky Lady is now berthed safely at Cilacap and divers are due to carry out an underwater inspection. Clean-up operations were placed in hand.

13 September 2004. By the afternoon of 10 September Eastern Mediterranean operations manager Captain Gabriel Haldezos said that a clean-up was proceeding and that leakage from crude oil tanker Lucky Lady, currently alongside the berth, had halted due to hydrostatic balancing. The company put the total cargo to have leaked from the damaged starboard tank at about 1,200 tonnes. Capt Haldezos said the vessel would not discharge the rest of its cargo until an inspection by divers, scheduled for the morning of 11 September was able to determine the extent of the damage. According to the East Mediterranean spokesman, the incident took place before a local pilot joined the vessel. An investigation into it is going on, Captain Haldezos said.

13 September 2004. The diver inspection of the vessel has been carried out. The inspection revealed some underwater damage and it is not known whether the divers on scene will be able to carry out the necessary repair work, therefore, another team of divers has been sent from Greece. An internal transfer of the cargo of oil has commenced, removing oil from the damaged tank so that full removal of cargo can be carried out without any danger of pollution. Various representatives are on scene.

14 September 2004. Indonesia’s state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina confirmed today that an oil tanker carrying light crude from Brunei ran aground Friday (10 September) morning, causing an oil spill off the coast of Cilacap, Central Java. “We are still trying to prevent the oil spill from spreading further,” Dwi Martono, Pertamina’s acting spokesman said. The oil spill has reached a three kilometre radius, he said, but the crude oil tanker Lucky Lady, “has already docked.” Dwi was unable to specify the quantity of crude oil that leaked, but said the cargo, which he estimates around 608,000 barrels, was bound for Pertamina’s Cilacap oil refinery. Another official at Pertamina said the leakage has stopped due to hydrostatic balancing. He added that Pertamina will conduct an investigation on the accident.

16 September 2004. All remaining cargo in the vessel’s damaged No. 1 starboard tank has been removed by portable pumps with the exception of about 25 cubic metres. About 34,600 tonnes of cargo had been discharged ashore up to this morning but discharge was interrupted due to lack of ullage ashore.

16 September 2004Ulla (St Vincent and Grenadines)

Bureaucracy and legal wrangling sank general cargo Ulla loaded with toxic ash, the European Parliament heard this week. “Legal and administrative problems” kept the vessel at anchor off the Turkish port of Iskenderun until it was too late to offload its potentially dangerous cargo, environmental commissioner Margot Wallstrom told the parliament’s plenary session in Strasbourg. The vessel, flagged in St Vincent and the Grenadines and operated by a Turkish company based in Iskenderun, went down early this month after rusting at anchor for four years. More than two years were taken up by legal arguments over responsibility for the cargo, while plans to offload the toxic ash took a further 18 months to put together, the parliament heard. Officials and activists had warned repeatedly that the 2,200 tonnes of power station waste was potentially carcinogenic and posed an environmental risk. The parliament has expressed concern that large stretches of water could be contaminated if the cargo leaks. “Unfortunately, legal and administrative problems delayed a solution until it was too late,” Ms Wallstrom told the parliament. The case dates to May 2000, when Spain’s Environment Ministry received a complaint from Turkish authorities over the vessels’ shipment, which they claimed had been exported from Spain by Lafarge Asland, the Spanish subsidiary of France’s Lafarge group, without proper authorisation. Turkey claimed the shipment contravened the Basel Convention on toxic waste and asked Spain to take it back. Spanish investigations established that the cargo had in fact been destined for Algeria, but had been diverted to Iskenderun after the original recipient, Spanish construction group Dragados, had rejected it because of water damage. The ash, which is often used as a building component, had been intended for use by Dragados in the construction of a dam in Algeria. According to the Environment Ministry in Madrid, the shipment had allegedly ended up off Turkey following a “unilateral” decision by the vessel’s master. “In July the Turkish authorities informed the Spanish authorities that they could proceed with a plan” to transfer the ashes to another vessel and return them to Spain but before this could be done the vessel sank on 6 September,” said Mr Wallstrom. Spain was exonerated by the commissioner: “According to the information available Spain was willing to take back the waste and fulfil its legal obligations,” she said. Arguments over who was responsible for the cargo between the Spanish authorities and the exporter went on for two and a half years – until the end of 2002. Negotiations between Spain and Turkey for the transfer of the ashes then took another year and a half – until July this year.

21 September 2004. Diplomatic and legal wrangling continue to plague the fate of general cargo Ulla which sank in Turkey about two weeks ago along with its cargo of 2,200 tonnes of toxic ash. Greenpeace campaigners this week held a demonstration outside the Turkish environment ministry to complain about delays in tackling what the group regards as an environmental threat. The campaigners claim that Turkey is taking too long to respond to offers from Spain, where the cargo originated, to help solve the problem. The ship sank earlier this month just as agreement had finally been reached to transport the ash back to Spain for proper disposal. “It’s good to know that Spain is willing to help, but both countries have acted way too late on this matter,” said Banu Dokmecibasi, Greenpeace campaigner in Turkey. “Four years is too much time to spend on a clear case of waste trade scandal.” Greenpeace divers have collected samples from around the wreck of Ulla that will be tested by independent experts to try and establish the level of contamination in the marine environment.

22 November 2004Terra Nova Platform

A mechanical failure has been cited as the cause of the largest spill of crude in the history of oil production in Newfoundland and Labrador. About 250 barrels of crude oil – or about 40,000 litres – were pumped directly into the ocean yesterday morning at the Terra Nova platform 350 kilometres south-east of St John’s. High winds have been making it difficult to clean up the spill. A supply vessel attempted to recover some of the oil yesterday, but waves were more than 3 m high. More equipment has been dispatched from St John’s, but is not expected to arrive until tomorrow. John Downton, director of communications with operator Petro-Canada, said production on the platform was suspended when the incident was reported. He said that a failure had occurred in the machinery used to separate fluids brought up to the platform. The fluids contain water and crude. “We take it very seriously. We are looking into it to try to find out what happened and to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Downton said. The Canada-Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum Board has ordered a suspension of production operations at the platform. It is investigating the incident.

22 November 2004. Air and ship crews were keeping an eye on an oil spill off the coast of Newfoundland today as containment crews waited out stormy weather to take action. Up to 40,000 litres of crude oil was dumped into the ocean early yesterday morning during a mechanical malfunction at the Terra Nova offshore oil platform. There is some containment equipment on board the oil production platform but crews struggled with high winds and 3 metre waves. An over-flight was taken this morning to assess the latest information on the spill. Supply vessels were tracking the spread of the slick, which was eight nautical miles south of Terra Nova. Petro-Canada said the spill occurred just after 01:00, local time, yesterday morning. The Canadian Coast Guard, which is advising the board and Petro-Canada on containment and clean-up, said difficult conditions continued today at the site. There were reports of one oiled seabird.

23 November 2004. An oil spill off the coast of Newfoundland is much worse than first thought, authorities said yesterday. It was first reported by Petro-Canada, operators of the Terra Nova platform, that 200 barrels had spilled. However, the Canada-Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum Board, which monitors the industry in the province, said it was actually up to 1,000 barrels. That is about 170,000 litres. “This is the largest oil spill to date in the Newfoundland offshore,” said Simone Keough, spokeswoman for the Canada-Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum Board. “It’s a large spill,” added Fred Way, acting chairman and CEO of the Offshore Petroleum Board. Attempts to contain the spill are being handicapped by bad weather. There are still no containment barriers in place due to seas of between five and six metres at the site. John Downton, director of communications for Petro-Canada, said the spill is being tracked by air. The slick has moved about 24 kilometres south of the platform, which is 350 kilometres east of St John’s. Petro-Canada officials say with the poor weather, they may be able to recover only about 25 per cent of the spill. The rest will likely dissipate into the ocean and eventually break down.

24 November 2004. Stormy seas kept containment crews at bay Monday (22 November) as estimates of an oil spill off the coast of Newfoundland increased dramatically. As much as 170,000 litres of oil could have dumped into the ocean during a malfunction aboard the Terra Nova oil platform. Original estimates said about 40,000 litres had spilled. “It’s a large spill,” said Fred Way, acting chairman and CEO of the Canada-Newfoundland Offshore Petroleum Board, which monitors the industry in the province. “It’s not an Exxon Valdez category, but it’s a large spill.” The board has suspended operations at Terra Nova until further notice. Bob O’Brien, of the environmental group Ocean Net, said the area is home to many nesting birds and there will be habitat destruction. “You’re dealing with nature and its forces,” he said. “I think the infrastructure that we have in place to clean up spills is probably very adequate, but you can’t fight nature and its forces.” O’Brien said he is comfortable that Petro-Canada has been diligent in preparing for such a spill. “We just need a weather break right now,” he said. The spill was the largest yet for Canada’s East Coast offshore industry.

18 November 2004Vicuna (Chile)

Operations at the Cattalini Terminal in Paranagua port remain suspended, following the explosion and fire on board chemical/oil carrier Vicuna. It will only be possible to partly resume vessel and cargo operations at the terminal when the Petrobras pier is released by the port authorities/harbour master, which is expected on 23 November. Berthing manoeuvres at Cattalini Terminal, Petrobras and Fospar (Cargill) are still suspended. Any fertiliser discharging operations will be allowed only at the commercial quay. Bunkering operations have also been halted since the accident as a bunker barge is being used to assist in efforts to remove oil from the damaged vessel. Therefore, no bunkering is available at Paranagua, at least until 23 November with the possibility of this being extended to the end of month.

19 November 2004. “Petrobras staff and environmentalists continue to try to remove the bunker oil from chemical/oil carrier Vicuna by a suction system using Petrobras portable pumps. They are also endeavouring to contain the oil which has already spilled out. By this morning the oil “blot” had already reached areas over 32 miles away and has damaged many islands shorelines. UFPR (Federal University of Paran.) at Pontal do Sul (east of Paranagu. close to the outer bar) is offering its Sea Centre for the volunteers and specialists for accommodation and work. The local authorities are very busy discussing funds that can be made available from government to support local fishermen. The authorities seem to be amazed at the number of fishermen who are applying for financial support. Apparently they did not know how big the number of fishermen in this area was. It is reported that experts will resume their assessment of how to remove the shipwreck, after all the bunker oil is removed from the ship. They will also search for any possible remaining methanol in the ships tanks. In the meantime the three terminals (Petrobras/Vopak-Cattalini and Fospar – a fertiliser terminal) remain closed by the port authority. The authority has not confirmed yet when the Petrobras and Fospar terminals will open again. The superintendent said in an interview yesterday that before they could authorise the terminals to resume operations, a thorough inspection would have to take place and that the shipwreck should not offer any further danger of explosion. In the meantime vessels scheduled to call at these two berths are standing by waiting for orders.”

20 November 2004. Chemical/oil carrier Vicuna: the authorities report the bunker oil has reached far away shorelines. Apparently it has even reached the neighbouring state of Sao Paulo coast. Additional equipment arrived Paranagua yesterday to control the bunker oil spread. Moreover, it has been reported that a special product will be used to clean up the polluted shores. This operation will begin shortly. However, nobody can say how long it will take to conclude it. In the meantime Petrobras, Cattalini and Fospar terminals continue interdicted. Although the fire has been put out on Vicuna, the local port authority has not confirmed yet as to when the Petrobras and Fospar terminals will be authorized to operate again. Apparently a meeting will be called on Monday to discuss this issue. The vessel’s fuel oil is being removed to Petrobras Terminal – reported that about 700/800 (? tonnes) of heavy oil has been already transferred to that terminal. The salvage team are using a pneumatic pump to drain the fuel oil to a barge that then discharge it at Petrobras Terminal. (Later) The port authority requested Petrobras and Vopak terminals to submit several survey reports showing the real condition in respect of safety operational aspect of the pier, prior to authorizing them to resume the loading and discharging operations on a normal basis. Both would have to submit such documents by 23 November. If all OK then the port may consider authorizing them to resume the operations soonest. The fuel oil is being removed from the shipwreck. Dated 22 November: the port authority and rescue team are working frenetically on removing bunker oil from the ship and vicinity. The oil is removed from the water by suction system and pumped into a local barge. A source reckons the vessel had on board some 1,500 tonnes of heavy fuel oil and 116 tonnes of diesel oil and that about 700 tonnes had been already removed and discharged at Petrobras Terminal. Vopak and Petrobras terminals are working on proving safety aspects thus permitting local port authority to give permission for their pier to become operative again. They are looking to be cleared by 25 November.

22 November 2004. Four companies have been hit by fines of R$5m (US$1.8m), and rising, for failing to take effective steps to prevent the environmental fallout of an explosion that ripped chemical/oil carrier Vicuna in two in the port of Paranagua last week. Ultragas, the owners of I Vicuna, Catallini Terminais, the operator of the chemical terminal at which the incident occurred, Wilson Sons, the vessel’s ship agent and Kuhzmann Surveyors, the local representative of the cargo insurer, have all been hit by fines of R$250,000 a day by the Brazilian environmental watchdog, IBAMA. According to IBAMA, the fines, which came into effect last Wednesday, will continue to be levied against the companies until the spill has been contained. Eduardo Pinheiro, a lieutenant with the local fire brigade helping coordinate the response on the ground, said that a shortage of floating oil barriers and the failure to position them correctly in the immediate aftermath of the blasts were just two of the shortcomings in the effort to prevent what he termed an “ecological disaster”. “The explosion was without precedent in Brazil but the emergency response plan was much less than was needed,” said Mr Pinheiro. Other failures listed by IBAMA include the failure to prioritise sensitive environmental areas to be protected and to consult sufficiently with environmental authorities and other parties involved in the clean-up operation.

22 November 2004. Port authorities at Paranagua are evaluating the possibility of resuming operations at the Petrobras/Vopak terminal near the Cattalini pier which was damaged by an onboard explosion and fire last week on board chemical/oil carrier Vicuna. Operations at the Petrobras/Vopak terminal could start again some time this week. The Fospar/Cargill fertiliser terminal re-opened on Saturday (20 November). Bunkering is still suspended at Paranagua as one bunker barge is being employed in the operation to remove oil from the damaged vessel’s engine-room. There is currently no indication of when bunkering to vessels will resume as the bunker pier has also been closed by the authorities. The oil spill from the damaged vessel has been stopped and the remaining oil from the damaged vessel is being removed. More than 300 people are being employed to clean the water and beaches around Paranagua Bay. The removal of the vessel from Cattalini terminal will depend on the completion of removal of oil from its engine-room. It is anticipated that this will be completed by the end of the week.

23 November 2004. The Federal Police report they have collected all possible evidence from chemical/oil carrier Vicuna. Diving companies working at the scene are investigating procedures to remove the wreck from the pier. Fish, dolphins, sea turtles and birds are being found dead every day, or are being treated by government organisations or volunteers.

24 November 2004. The rescue team continues toiling to remove the bunker oil from chemical/oil carrier Vicuna. The operation is very slow due to the difficulties to pump out the oil to the barge. They are working on a round the clock basis. However, since the vessels tanks are filled up with mixed salt water, the removing procedure should be carried out carefully to avoid any further scattering of oil in the bay. The rescue team does not give a time to get all the oil out. A source is confident that they will conclude at the forthcoming weekend. After the oil is out, they will commence the process to remove the ship off the berth. On the other hand, the port is waiting now for Petrobras and Vopak terminals to submit the documents required in respect of the pier’s safety, prior to authorising it to be come operative again. The Vopak terminals advised that they will do it shortly and expect to get operative again by tomorrow, 24 November.

25 November 2004. Local port authorities reporting that Petrobras Terminal Pier will be cleared for operation in next hours. Petrobras and Vopak operate this terminal and it is possible that Cattalini will also operate from there with certain products. A diver working for a Spanish salvage company reported that he has finished his inspection and the company is preparing a proposal to ship-owners or P&I Club in London to remove the shipwreck from Cattalini pier. Two other salvage companies will also present proposals to the same task. Two barges containing fuel oil drained from the shipwreck discharged to Petrobras Terminal early this morning. Vacuum trucks also been employed to drain the fuel oil from the shipwreck vicinity. Authorities reporting salvage team still “toiling” the oil, cleaning the beach, coastal rocks and boundaries. At spots the oil penetrated the sand and in spite of being cleaned is re-appearing with the tide washing.

22 November 2004Massachusetts, USA

The US Attorney for the District of Massachusetts issued a press release stating the Bouchard Transportation Co. was sentenced to pay a $10 million fine in connection with the oil spill in Buzzards Bay on 27 April 2003. A loaded tank barge (B. No. 120) being towed by a company tug grounded while outside the channel. The tug and barge were outside the channel because the mate on duty had left the pilothouse unmanned. The company was aware of repeated concerns raised about the mate’s competency. Charges were brought under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Federal Water Pollution Control Act. Of the total fine, $7 million will be used to fund eligible wetlands conservation projects in the Buzzards Bay vicinity and $2 million will be directed to the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund. The remaining $1 million will be suspended and only imposed if the company fails to comply with conditions of its probation.