The Malta Maritime Authority (MMA) is investigating the incident that led to a Malta-flagged bulk carrier ship running aground off the Taiwanese coast and spilling some 110 tonnes of fuel, creating an environmental hazard and halting fishing activities in the area in the process.
The Authority is also looking into the grounding of a smaller Malta-flagged vessel off the Turkish Black Sea coast. Both investigations are being carried out by the MMA’s Merchant Shipping Directorate in line with the provisions of IMO Assembly Resolution 849(20).
The MMA reports that no one has been reported injured in either incident.
On 23 December. the Maltese-registered, 23,000-ton cargo ship, the Tzini, en route from Japan to Taiwan where it was to pick up a cargo of cement, drifted to within some 70 metres of the coastline and ran aground on a coral reef at about 5.30am. The ship’s fuel tanks were ruptured on impact and began to leak fuel into the sea near Suao Harbour in eastern Taiwan.
The MMA reported that shore assistance had been given to the 23 Filipino and one Russian crew of the vessel, which sustained structural damage to her hull as a result of running aground.
“Approximately 100 tonnes of fuel oil have escaped from the vessel and the Taiwanese authorities are taking the necessary measures to mitigate and contain the oil spill,” the MMA added. “The vessel was in ballast condition. Salvagers contracted by the managers of the vessel are in direct liaison with the Taiwanese authorities in order to refloat the vessel.”
The estimated cost of the oil slick, which is reported to have contaminated a 10-kilometre stretch of ecologically sensitive coastline, 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.
The ship has been has been prevented from leaving harbour by the Taiwanese Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) until its 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 the further release of oil into the ocean. It has also declined a request from the owners to move the vessel until they have cleaned up the pollution and ensured that the oil tank is completely empty. The owners are to additionally present a plan stating how they are to help clean up the oil slick and make proper compensation.
Taiwanese port officials’ preliminary investigations into the cause of the accident found that the cargo ship appeared to have lost power due to engine trouble, causing it to be pushed towards 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 awoken by the accident.
Taiwanese authorities, in the meantime, are continuing their efforts to contain the spill. Despite the placing of oil-absorbent booms, the slick has 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 becomes 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.
In a second incident, that took place close to noon on Christmas Day, a 1,772 tonne Malta-flagged ship, the Flora, also ran aground in adverse weather conditions on the Turkish Black Sea coast near the port of Amasra.
Gale force winds, a blizzard and high seas were prevailing at the time of the incident, while persisting weather conditions are preventing preliminary inspections of the vessel. However, the MMA explains, the 11-strong crew of Russian and Ukrainian nationality were safely evacuated to shore.