(Limay) The Philippine coast guard is working Friday to contain an oil slick and avoid “an environmental catastrophe” the day after the sinking of an oil tanker carrying 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel off the coast of Manila.
The oil spill at sea caused by the sinking of the MT Terra Nova The leak was “minimal,” Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Rear Admiral Armando Balilo said Friday, explaining that only the fuel used to power the tanker appeared to have leaked.
“The oil in the tanker did not leak. So we are in a race against time to avoid an environmental catastrophe,” he added.
A crew member of the Philippine-flagged tanker died when the vessel capsized early Thursday about seven kilometers off Limay town on Manila Bay across from the capital, while sailing toward the central port of Iloilo.
According to AFP journalists, the Philippine coast guard was working Friday morning at the port of Limay to contain the oil spill, which stretched for several kilometers. Mr. Balilo indicated that floating barriers had already been deployed in case of a “worst-case scenario” – a leak from the tank containing the industrial fuel – occurred.
When weather conditions improve, Philippine Coast Guard divers will inspect the tanker’s position so that the “siphoning operation” can begin, he added. The Philippine Coast Guard has set a target of seven days to complete the siphoning of the oil.
“Pay the bill”
The sinking of the MT Terra Nova came as heavy rains, amplified by Typhoon Gaemi and the seasonal monsoon, have battered Manila and surrounding areas in recent days.
An investigation into the causes of the sinking has been opened.
The investigation is to verify the testimony of crew members who said the tanker was damaged after turning around due to rough seas and had to be towed by another vessel, Balilo said.
The towing cable was cut and the tanker “lost control” in the rough seas and sank, according to the same source.
“We will see if all the protocols were followed or if there was an error in decision-making,” Balilo said.
The environmental protection organisation Greenpeace has already warned that the owners of the MT Terra Nova will have to “pay the environmental bill” for the damage caused and compensate local communities.
One of the worst oil spills in the Philippines occurred in February 2023, when an oil tanker carrying 800,000 liters of industrial fuel sank off the central island of Mindoro, south of the capital.
Diesel fuel and thick oil from the ship contaminated waters and beaches along the coast, devastating the fishing and tourism industries.
The oil had spread over hundreds of kilometres in waters known for being home to some of the most diverse marine life in the world. Thousands of fishermen were ordered to stay ashore and swimming was banned.
In 2006, an oil tanker sank off the central island of Guimaras, spilling tens of thousands of liters of oil that destroyed a marine reserve, ruined local fishing grounds and covered part of the coastline with black sludge.