Reuters highlights that Spanish authorities have detained a cargo ship operated by a German company following a fuel spill that occurred during a refueling operation near the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, according to Spain’s Merchant Fleet.
The ship, flagged under Antigua and Barbuda and named Tony Stark, is being held in port on Africa’s northern coast until the owners provide a bail of 120,000 euros ($130,524).
The German operator of the Tony Stark, NautiCore Shipping, has not yet responded to requests for comment. Last week, fuel oil trails were observed in front of Benitez Beach, the port’s breakwaters, and San Amaro Beach in Ceuta, located in the Alboran Sea.
The Merchant Fleet also reported that the estimated size of the fuel spill was about one metric ton and has initiated a disciplinary process to determine the final penalty.
In a separate incident, three beaches near Valencia were closed last week due to a fuel spill that covered a 2-kilometer (1.2-mile) stretch of sand. The cause of this spill is not yet known.
