Tag: oil spill

According to the African News Agency, the oil spill occurring from MV Chrysanthi S was due to a not properly closed tank valve. Although the African authorities managed to contain the oil spill, the damage had already been done. 

In 2016, a tug barge owned by Houston-based Kirby Corp. ran aground in the Seaforth Channel near Bella Bella, about 98 nautical miles north of Port Hardy on Vancouver Island. After the incident an oil spill was detected in the waters, for which the Provincial Court of British Columbia sentenced Kirby to pay a $2.2 million penalty.

Oil company Husky Energy is planning to install a replacement flowline connector at the White Rose Field. This comes after the 250.000-liter oil spill in the Atlantic, which took place on November 2018, due to a flawed flowline connector. The company would use the DOF's Skandi Vinland vessel to replace the flawed flowline connector.

The South African Maritime Safety Authority informed than an investigation is underway to establish the cause of the oil spillage incident during a bunkering service off the port of Ngqhura near Port Elizabeth on July 6 morning. It was reported that up to 200-400 litters of fuel well spilled into the ocean.

According to Guardian, a second major oil spill occurred in the Solomon Islands bay turning the sea water red; The affected area is the same where Solomon Trader ran aground due to unexpected gale at Kangava Bay, Rennell Island, on 4 February, causing an environmental disaster. 

New Zealand authorities have initiated an oil spill response operation at Three Kings Islands, at the north part of the country, after a fishing vessel reported oil on fishing gear and on a small number of sea birds in the area Monday, according to Maritime new Zealand. 

MPA Singapore published a circular reminding to all ships supplying and receiving bunkers in the Port of Singapore that bunkering related oil spills generally take place because of operational lapses and could be avoided if all necessary precautions are taken.

Canada's Minister of transport, Marc Garneau, announced that the Oil Tanker Moratorium Act (Bill C-48) has received Royal Assent. According to the Act, oil tankers transferring crude and persistent oils as cargo from stopping, loading or unloading at ports or marine installations in northern British Columbia. The Act aims to protect, to some level, the area’s marine ecosystems, which are vulnerable to the developing marine shipping.

The Government of Canada announced earlier in 2019 that it is investing $2.4 million in scientific research at the Huntsman Marine Science Centre, to boost knowledge on oil spill response as part of its efforts to keep its oceans clean, safe and healthy.

New Zealand's Cabinet has approved the mid-point review of the Oil Pollution Levy (OPL) to reflect updated risk and to ensure Maritime NZ can deliver on the current Marine Oil Spill Readiness and Response Strategy. The OPL funds New Zealand’s maritime oil pollution preparedness and response system.