Two tankers ‘Winner 19’ and the ‘Shine Luck’ ran aground on June 14 due to inclement weather. According to Taiwan’s Ocean Affairs Council, a total of 32 crew members of both vessels were rescued, while there are still about 200 metric tones of oil on the two oil tankers. However, no spills have been reported.
After receiving a report about the accident, the Oceans Commission’s Marine Conservation Agency started an emergency response mechanism, collecting relevant satellite information, and contacting the ocean of Kaohsiung City. The Bureau and the Marine Patrol Department are also aware of the stranded condition of the ship and are preparing contingency plans.
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Winner 19 was stranded on the beach, with no oil spills, while Shine Luck hit concrete wave-breaks near the entrance of a fishing port. Shine Luck after one day broke in two, and local authorities decided to remove the hull as soon as possible in order to reduce the risk of pollution. The oil removal operations lasted until June 17.
In order to avoid fuel leakage caused by the continuous collision between the ship and the wave-breaks, the shipowner adjusted the position of the ship on the morning of June 16 to avoid collisions with the blocks, and prepared a lashing line on the vessel.
For anti-fouling purposes, local authorities and the Kaohsiung City Ocean Administration staff should be supervised to avoid the risk of marine pollution.