Operations at Taiwan’s Keelung port have resumed after an oil spill during bunkering disrupted activities. The spill fouled four containerships, a cruise ship, and pilot boats. Booms were used to contain the spill caused by an overflow from a barge connection. Cleanup efforts were underway, with delays and impacts on departures reported.
Eight months after a major oil spill off the coast of Tobago, the tug believed to have caused the spill, named the Solo Creed, has been arrested in Angola. The circumstances surrounding the incident are still unclear, with ownership of the tug remaining a mystery. Authority seeks recovery of expenses from the IOPC Fund.
The overturned oil barge off the coast of Tobago has been salvaged at a cost of $30 million. Recovery efforts led by T&T Salvage successfully refloated the Gulfstream barge after a six-hour operation. The wreck is now being assessed three nautical miles off the coast before being towed to Port-of-Spain. The search for the crew of the abandoned tugboat continues, with the government seeking international assistance in the investigation. The Ministry of Energy has completed beach cleanup and is holding parties accountable for the environmental damage caused by the oil spill.
South Africa is facing a major environmental crisis as the Ultra Galaxy vessel continues to leak oil after breaking apart off the coast. With 500 tons of fuel still aboard the wreck, efforts to contain the spill are underway. Salvage operations have been halted due to rough surf conditions, while local residents are assisting in the clean-up efforts along the oil-covered coastline.
Over the weekend, a bulker that capsized and washed ashore on the west coast of South Africa broke up during storms. SAMSA is working with local authorities to contain an oil spill and initiate clean-up efforts. Salvors sealed fuel oil tanks and removed oil drums from the wreck. Salvage operations are temporarily suspended due to adverse weather conditions. Plans to resume salvage work are in place.
A magistrate in Colombo, Sri Lanka has ordered the master of a tanker responsible for a minor oil spill in the harbor to remain in the country for 30 days. The spill, traced back to the Indian-owned vessel Ark Prestige, has prompted authorities to seek compensation and take measures to contain and address the environmental impact.
Two weeks after an oil barge capsized near Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago officials are still working on recovery efforts. The barge, loaded with fuel oil, has caused a spill covering over 10 miles of beaches. International disaster recovery teams have been retained, and the police are investigating a bag of cocaine that washed ashore.
Officials on the Caribbean island of Tobago are dealing with a growing oil spill and investigating a capsized vessel causing the environmental disaster. A massive clean-up effort is underway, with the government classifying it as a Tier II disaster. The vessel, identified as Gulfstream, has caused damage to the nearby reef.
