The underwater leaks discovered by divers from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and a maritime service provider from the sunken MT Terranova and MTKR Jason Bradley off Bataan’s coastal waters have finally been sealed, a ranking official said on Monday, July 29.
PCG Commandant Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan said a total of 14 leaks were detected and sealed by divers from the Harbor Star Shipping Services – the salvor contracted by MT Terranova’s ship owner Shogun Ships Co. Inc. – from the valves of the containers holding 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel oil (IFO) onboard the tanker.
The 65-meter long and 12-meter wide MT Terranova sank on July 25 off Limay’s coast.
The sealing operations ended on Sunday, July 28, as Harbor Star divers ensured that there were no more oil leaks observed at the ground zero, according to Gavan.
“As of press time, Harbor Star divers are putting the second layer of capping bags and sealing other valves that were not leaking. They will also perform a due diligence check to make sure all leaks have been properly sealed prior to the siphoning operations,” the PCG chief said.
Meanwhile, the PCG found out that MTKR Jason Cargo contains diesel cargo of unknown quantity, contrary to an earlier report by the shipping company to the PCG that it had no cargo onboard when it sank.
PCG divers discovered that the 39-meter motor tanker sank nine meters deep (muddy bottom) and 600 yards away from the vicinity waters of Barangay Cabcaben in Mariveles town on July 27.
In an assessment, PCG spokesperson Rear Adm. Armando Balilo said that PCG personnel monitored thin sheen of diesel leaks in the vicinity waters of Barangay Cabcaben.
Balilo said all the leaks observed were now sealed and a salvor was hired by MTKR Jason Bradley’s ship owner to remove the diesel cargo from the second sunken tanker.
MT Terranova siphoning operations
The PCG, Shogun and Harbor Star will position and secure two recovery vessels – a barge and a motor tanker – on site in Limay to start the siphoning of oil from MT Terranova either on Tuesday, July 30, or Wednesday, July 31, according to Gavan.
“According to Harbor Star, the plan is to siphon 300,000 liters of industrial fuel oil which is enough to gain buoyancy and safely tow the sunken vessel to safe a site where the rest of the IFO will be cleared,” the PCG chief said.
“Harbor Star added they can siphon approximately 50,000 to 60,000 liters of IFO daily. Hence, they can finish the operation within six to seven days,” he noted.
Meanwhile, the PCG temporarily suspended the spraying of oil dispersants in areas where oil spill is detected off Limay’s coast due to its low efficacy.
“The response team will change the type of dispersant to make the initiative more effective based on the technical advice of the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Limited (ITOPF),” Gavan said.
PCG ships and contracted vessels also continued to use water cannons to agitate the oil sheens and accelerate weathering effect – a strategy that was implemented during the Oriental Mindoro oil spill last year.
Improvised oil spill booms
The PCG and PCG Auxiliary (PCGA) were also working hand in hand to craft improvised oil spill booms made from coconut husks that will be used in areas projected to be affected by the oil spill from MT Terranova.
Presidential Legislative Liaison Office (PLLO) Sec. Mark Llandro “Dong” L. Mendoza, a PCGA member, spearheaded the production of the improvised booms. As of press time, the PCGA has delivered two truck loads of coco logs and coco peats to the National Capital Region (NCR).
The PCGA will also deliver 1,500 coco logs and 1,500 coco peats to Pampanga, Bulacan, and Bataan in the coming days.
Balilo said another PCGA group was also working with the Municipal Environment and National Resource Office (MENRO)-Ternate and Coast Guard Station Cavite to produce improvised oil spill booms made from used clothes.