Strong winds have caused an small oil leak during fuel oil removal operations from the grounded car carrier ‘Makassar Highway’ off the Swedish coast, according to the latest update from the Coast Guard. Approximately 7000 liters of oil have been removed so far by Coast Guard ships.
On Monday 23 July, the Panama-flagged 139-meter ship was en route from Germany’s port of Cuxhaven to the Swedish port of Sodertalje, south of Stockholm, loaded with approximately 1,325 vehicles, when it ran aground in an archipelago north of Vastervik on the Baltic Sea. Since Monday, the Coast Guard has undertaken an environmental rescue operation to prevent oil leakage in the Baltic Sea.
Now work is underway to combat the oil spill, which seems to have stopped at the moment. The leak was attributed to a vessel’s list due to wind pressure in the late hours of 28 July.
We do everything we can to prevent further oil from landing. The amount of oil that has come out is not yet determined. In terms of the total amount of oil present on the accident, this is a smaller amount,
…the Swedish Coast Guard informed.
Coastal surveillance is now building a base station in Flatvar’s port for sanitation and environmental protection. The work is done on several fronts and in cooperation with the rescue service and the Salvation Society. Current weather conditions seem beneficial for the work.
We are working well with all involved players and we all have a common goal: protecting the marine environment by combating oil leaked and preventing further oil spill.
The Coast Guard provided advice for anyone coming into contact with oil:
- Avoid the oil and inhale the vapors,
- Avoid getting oil on you,
- If you breathe in the vapors, move to a place of fresh air,
- If you get oil on the skin, wash it out quickly with soap or detergent.
The ship has reportedly suffered extensive damage as a result form the accident.
