A Maltese-registered, 23,000-ton cargo ship, the Tzini, is being detained in Taiwan after having spilt some 110 tonnes of fuel onto the Taiwanese coastline near Suao Harbour after its tanks were punctured – creating an environmental hazard and halting fishing activities in the area.

The estimated cost to the local fishing industry stands at Lm1 million, while environmental groups have expressed serious concern over ensuing damage to a coral reef sanctuary near the oil slick.

As of yesterday afternoon some 110 tonnes, of a total of 711 being carried aboard the Tzini, had leaked from the ship, which has been prevented from leaving harbour by the Taiwanese Environmental Protection Administration (EPA).

An EPA official yesterday blamed the captain for the oil spill and port officials have ordered the ship to remain in port until the owners, Kingston Shipping Ltd, clean up the mess and provide financial compensation to the fishing industry and for further clean up operations.

The EPA has also asked the ship’s owners to remove the remaining fuel oil aboard to prevent further release of oil into the ocean. It has also declined a request from the owners to move the vessel until they had cleaned up the pollution and ensured that the oil tank was completely empty. In addition the owners are to present a plan stating how they are to help clean up the oil slick and make proper compensation.

The ship, which had been en route from Japan to Taiwan where it was to pick up a cargo of cement, had drifted to within some 70 metres of the coastline and ran aground on a coral reef at about 5.30am on Sunday morning.

An oil tank ruptured was ruptured by the reef and the ship started leaking oil from its tank, while strong winds and the current spread the leak into the ocean. The oil spill is reported to have contaminated a 10-kilometre coastal stretch off Milan County in north-eastern Taiwan.

Port officials’ preliminary investigations into the cause of the accident had found the cargo ship appeared to have lost power due to engine trouble, causing it to be pushed toward shore by strong waves.

Following further investigations however, EPA head Chang Kow-Lung declared the ship had run aground on the coral reef due to the captain’s carelessness. Mr Chang also raised suspicions that the captain and pilot had been dozing at the time – only to have been woken by the accident.

None of the 23 crew members, or the Russian captain, were reported injured in the incident and all were airlifted to safety by helicopter.

Taiwanese authorities in the meantime, are continuing their efforts to contain the spill and despite the placing of oil-absorbent booms, the slick had spread to cover a 10-kilometre area. The crisis-management team set up to fight the slick has said it might have to call in the armed forces if the situation gets out of control in adverse weather conditions.

Compounding matters, the Suao coastline is mostly composed of cliffs, meaning that efforts to set up boom nets to prevent the oil from spreading have become even more complicated.