Since February 7th, 2024, the Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) has been responding on an incident of an overturned vessel and a resulting oil spill near Cove Eco Industrial and Business Park in Tobago.
The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard (TTCG) is actively investigating the incident, even though no distress calls were received from the vessel. TEMA, in collaboration with the Environmental Management Authority (EMA), conducted a Preliminary Assessment, revealing that oil from the overturned vessel has reached the shoreline. Samples have been collected for fingerprinting, and the Institute of Marine Affairs will determine the oil’s origin.
TEMA is working with various stakeholders, including the EMA, TTCG, Department of the Environment, Department of Marine Resources and Fisheries, Ministry of Energy, Woodside Energy, and other organizations.
Clean-up and containment efforts have been taking place in the last few days. The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard and Kaizen Environmental Services Limited have successfully deployed the boom in the vicinity of the vessel Gulfstream in the waters off the coast of the Cove Eco-Industrial Business Park. Meanwhile, continuous clean-up operations are underway on the surrounding beaches.
Suspected oil deposits off the coast of Roxborough and Belle Garden are also under investigation. For safety reasons, fisherfolk and beachgoers are strongly advised to avoid the area extending from Rockly Bay to Canoe Bay.
