MOL confirmed that the crack inside the hull of MV Wakashio had expanded and the Prime Minister of Mauritius is calling to prepare for the worst-case scenario highlighting the risks that may follow from the oil spill.
To remind, in late July, Mauritius’ Minister of the Environment Kavi Ramano addressed the current response to the grounding of the MV Wakashio, which was heading to Brazil from China, when it ran aground around on Saturday, July 25.
Now, the bad weather is worsening the efforts made to contain the oil spill.
In the meantime, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)/United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Joint Environment Unit have jointly deployed an oil spill response expert.
The IMO comments that
Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions and border closures in Mauritius, the expert was (11 August) awaiting onward travel via specially chartered UN flight from Nairobi, following COVID tests.
The expert is en route to their destination and was expected to arrive at the scene on August 11, 2020.
About 3,894 tonnes of low-sulphur fuel oil, 207 tonnes of diesel and 90 tonnes of lubricant oil were on board the MV Wakashio. The affected area is located in a very sensitive zone that includes the Blue Bay Marine Park, Ile aux Aigrettes, and the Ramsar sites. Satellite mapping support is being sought from UNOSAT, to provide an indication of the extent of the spill and to inform the response effort.
