Efforts to Re-Float Vessel That Cased Oil Spill Off Tobago Affected By Weather
Port Of Spain, Trinidad – Trinidad And Tobago Authorities Friday Said That Efforts To Re-Float The Overturned Vessel Off The Coast Of Cove In Tobago Have Recently Delayed Due To Adverse Weather Alerts And Threats Associated With Then Tropical Storm Ernesto Which Have Resulted In Rough Seas.
Clean up of the oil spill in Tobago (CMC Photo)In March, The Government Said That The Oil Leak From A Barge Carrying Up To 35,000 Barrels Of Fuel Oil That Capsized In Early February Had Stopped.
The Spill, Which Was First Spotted Off The Coast Of Tobago’s Atlantic Coast On February 7, Damaged Some Of The Island’s Mangrove And Threatened Its Tourism And Fishing Sector. It Also Entered The Caribbean Sea, Threatening Nearby Venezuela And Caribbean Island, Including Bonaire.
The Ministry Of Energy And Energy Industries In A Statement Friday, Said The Re-Float And Tow Phase Of Operations Was Targeted To Be Executed Between The Period August 5-10.
“However, Due To Rough Seas Influenced By Three Consecutive Weather Events Over The Planned Period, The Operations To Re-Float And Tow Were Suspended As The Safety Of All Personnel Remain Paramount And There Was A Risk Of Damaging Sensitive Equipment.
“The Next Window To Execute This Critical Operation Would Be Based On The Advice Of The International Experts Who Are Retained To Manage This Part Of The Process,” It Said.
The Ministry Said That Until The Re-Float And Tow Operations Commence, The Vessel Remains In An “Overturned State, Unmoved From Its Grounded Location Off The Coast Of Cove” And That Prior To The Re-Float And Tow Phase, The Technical Staff Along With Its International Partner T&T Salvage Were Focused On Carrying Out Works Relative To The De-Inventory Phase Of Operations Which Commenced On April 13 This Year.
It Said That De-Inventory Phase Was Completed With Approximately 32,303 Barrels Of Hydrocarbons Being Successfully Pumped From The Barge.
“The Ministry Of Energy And Energy Industries Is Leading And Managing The Operations Off The Coast Of Cove, Tobago And As Such Remains The Credible Source Of Information Regarding The Overturned Vessel.
“The Ministry Of Energy And Energy Industries Continues To Have Real-Time And Open Dialogue With All Respective Agencies On The Progress Of Operations. The Safety Of All Personnel Remains Paramount As The Prevailing Weather Conditions Of The Wet Season And Hurricane Season Persist,” It Added.
In May, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley Said Trinidad And Tobago Expects To Receive “A Significant Sum” In Compensation For The Ongoing Oil Spill Clean-Up In Tobago.
Rowley Said That The Oil Spill Had Occurred Because Of The Activities Of “People Who Did Not Want Others To Know That They Were Involved In What Was Happening There.
“The Ocean Is A Very Big Place And A Lot Of Things Go On There And That’s Why There Is An International Body Which Exists To Come To A Country’s Aid If You Find Yourself Being Damaged By An Oil Spill Of That Nature Or Similar Nature.”
Rowley Did Not Name The International Agency, But Energy And Energy Industries Minister, Stuart Young, Said Port Of Spain Had Made Presentation To The United Kingdom-Based International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund (Iopcf) For Compensation Ranging From Us$14 Million To Us$20 Million.
