KARACHI: KPT yet to approve salvage operation: Oil-spill feared
By Mukhtar Alam
KARACHI, Oct 10: Foreign and local experts have said that possibilities of oil spill from the capsized oil barge Orion-1 could not be ignored during any salvage operation yet to be approved by the Karachi Port Trust.
At a press briefing on Tuesday, they said that the leakage of cargo oil from the barge in the sea had been marginal and thus manageable so far. However, they were of the opinion that in the long run there remained high risk of spill, if the sea went rough further and therefore it was advisable that the barge should be lightened of the furnace oil it held in its tanks at the earliest.
The press briefing was arranged by the Karachi Port Trust at its Marine Pollution Control Department, wherein Yahya Usmani, Eric vilyn Wymuer, a diving supervisor and Wytse Hgismans, a salvage master, and owner of the barge Malik Qutub spoke. KPT Administration General Manager Brig Shahid Saleem was also present on the occasion.
KPT marine pollution control department’s head Yahya Usmani said that two Dutch experts called by the KPT had started monitoring the barge at its site, 3.1 nm off Manora. He said that they were satisfied with the measures taken so far by the KPT and the owner of the barge.
He said that the salvage of barge was not the responsibility of KPT but it was extending all support to the owners in this regard. “We are here to ensure that the oil spill response measures are adopted in order to save the sea and its beaches from pollution,” he added, saying that the whole salvage operation would take time but before that the remaining oil from the barge would be pumped out to other vessels.
He said that there was all possibility of leakage of oil to sea from the barge during the salvage operations, but the KPT had taken all preparation to stop the oil from reaching to beach. In case any spill takes place, the oil would take about two and a half hours to reach the beach, he mentioned.
Replying to a question, he said that the Federal Environment Protection Agency was also in touch with the KPT while officials of marine mercantile department, who were supposed to establish the reasons behind the capsizing of the barge, had also contacted KPT officials.
The Dutch experts said that they would suggest the KPT for ensuring transfer of oil from the barge first and then upright and re-floating of the barge. “If the weather remains favourable the salvage operation can be accomplished within two weeks,” they noted, observing that the purpose of all exercise was to get the sea and its ecology free of oil pollution.
Malik Qutub told the newsmen that the rescue and salvage team engaged by him could not start works earlier due to bad weather and high tide. “The team could start preliminary investigations only on Tuesday morning and they have also been able to check an open point causing some leakage of oil into the sea,” he added.
He said that his barge was a new one built at Karachi and launched for oil transportation from KPT to Port Qasim in March this year. He said that his team with the coordination of KPT would be able to get rid of the capsized boat safely without any environmental degradation.
The barge owner further said that as soon as the inspection work was completed a salvage plan would be handed over to the KPT. He said that inspection work had been started after which a plan would be chalked out for the salvage of the barge. He said that salvage operation would be started after the approval of plan by the KPT.
Earlier, KPT Administration General Manager Brig Shahid Saleem arranged a visit of newsmen near the spot where Orion-1 capsized with a load of 70 tonnes of furnace oil on Oct 6. Some divers were seen onboard a boat for operation near the barge. The oil slick was also very much negligible.
In the meantime, the contractor, Indus Divers, appointed by the barge owner, undertook a detailed survey of the vessel on Tuesday.
According to maritime sources, it was found that four of the six tanks were open to sea and no oil was found within those tanks, while the remaining two tanks, which is said to hold no more than 60 tonnes was intact and not leaking.
The contractors’ divers also managed to seal some points, including leakage of small drops from oil vents. There is no more danger of leaks emanating from the vessel, added the source, saying that the contractors were also calling a couple of salvage experts, including salvage master and naval architect from abroad.
KARACHI, Oct 10: Foreign and local experts have said that possibilities of oil spill from the capsized oil barge Orion-1 could not be ignored during any salvage operation yet to be approved by the Karachi Port Trust.
