Oil Barge Salvaged off Tobago Coast After 6 months of Recovery Effort

The oil barge that overturned and leaked oil off the coast of Tobago has been successfully salvaged, with recovery efforts costing up to $30 million. Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries reported that the Gulfstream barge was refloated after a six-hour operation led by T&T Salvage. The barge was discovered overturned on the west coast of Tobago in February, leaking oil, and efforts to recover the spilled oil have been ongoing since then.

The barge has been moved three nautical miles off the coast for further assessment and preparation for towing to Port-of-Spain, Trinidad. Divers are conducting an underwater survey to ensure the wreck is secure and free of debris before the towing operation begins, which is expected to take 33 hours. The Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries has completed the beach and coastal cleanup, closing its temporary facility at Cove, Tobago.

The search for the crew of the abandoned tugboat that was towing the barge continues, with the vessel identified as the Solo Creed. The government of Trinidad and Tobago is seeking assistance from various countries in the investigation, with the International Pollution Fund offering up to $50 million in compensation for cleanup and affected individuals. Efforts are ongoing to hold the responsible parties accountable for the environmental damage caused by the oil spill.

Source