Oil slick spotted off Sri Lanka coast near stricken tanker

September 08, 2020

A burning oil tanker has begun leaking diesel fuel near the Sri Lankan coast, naval officials said on Tuesday, sparking fears of an environmental disaster.

The New Diamond supertanker, carrying the equivalent of about 2 million barrels of oil, has been burning since Thursday.

The oil slick was spotted near the Panama-registered tanker, which is about 55 kilometers (34 miles) from the country’s coast

“The ship has tilted slightly towards where the fire broke out due to the large amount of water sprayed to douse the fire. Because of this, oil in the engine room appears to have leaked out to the sea,” according to a Sri Lankan navy statement.

The vessel had reported a fire on board on Thursday after an explosion in the boiler room killed a Filipino crew member. The blaze appeared to have been extinguished, but fire erupted again on Monday.

Sri Lanka and neighboring India launched a major operation to battle the blaze and prevent an environmental disaster in the Indian Ocean.

Read more: Oil spill disasters: Ways to limit environmental damage

A fire blazes on the New Diamond supertanker

The New Diamond had been carrying the equivalent of 2 million barrels of oil

The New Diamond is classified as a very large crude carrier (VLCC) and is about 330 meters (1,080 feet) long. It is larger than the Japanese bulk carrier MV Wakashio, which crashed into a reef off the coast of Mauritus last month and leaked more than 1,000 tons of oil into the nation’s waters.

Dappula de Livera, Sri Lanka’s chief prosecutor, ordered authorities to pursue a claim for damages and told the owners of the New Diamond to tow it away from the country’s waters.

The supertanker had been transporting its cargo from Kuwait to a port in India when the fire broke out.

Read more: Who will pay for the Mauritius oil spill?

France battles to contain oil spill at high sea

A thick layer of oil threatens the coast

On March 12, the Italian cargo ship Grande America sank in the Atlantic, about 300 kilometers (186 miles) off the French coast. Luckily, all 27 people on board were rescued. But the cargo, which was on its way from Hamburg to Casablanca, included 2,000 vehicles, 2,200 tons of fuel and 45 containers of “hazardous materials,” creating a toxic oil slick which is now threatening the coast.

France battles to contain oil spill at high sea

Still leaking from the depths

The cargo ship now lies at a depth of around 4,500 meters, but it continues to leak oil. Eneko Aierbe from the Spanish environmental group Ecologistas en Accion told DW that authorities should invest all their efforts into stopping the oil from reaching coastal areas in both France and Spain, where it would severely impact wildlife and ecosystems and create a much worse disaster.

France battles to contain oil spill at high sea

A race against time

Oil floats on the surface of the ocean because it has a lower density than water. So authorities need to capture the oil before it disperses. But bad weather conditions have led to delays. After several days, Spanish and French authorities were eventually able to deploy so-called booms — floating barriers that prevent oil from spreading — as part of the first steps in the clean-up process.

France battles to contain oil spill at high sea

New life for wasted oil

Once the oil was contained, boats equipped with “skimmer” devices recovered the oil and carried it to the port of the coastal city of La Rochelle. It will eventually be analyzed and classified to kick-start the recycling process. If done correctly, the oil could be used again. Local maritime authorities told DW that security measures are currently in place to minimize pollution.

France battles to contain oil spill at high sea

The first victims

So far, two birds have been directly killed by the oil spill from the Grande America. One was found already dead on a French beach. The other was still alive and was taken to a wildlife care center, but it sadly didn’t survive. However, wildlife health experts say that the actual impact of the oil spill on wildlife remains unknown. Hopefully these two victims remain isolated cases.

France battles to contain oil spill at high sea

Never again

The changing winds mean the direction the spill is traveling is unclear. But it seems to be moving toward the Spanish coast. Authorities along the Bay of Biscay told DW they’re ready to act. Meanwhile, environmentalists are calling for more resources to accelerate the clean-up. Antidia Citores from the NGO Surfrider told DW they’re demanding stronger regulations so this won’t happen again.

Author: Irene Banos Ruiz