Oil slick threatens Western Visayas coasts

[URi]

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Western Visayas warned that an oil slick threatens to hit parts of the coasts of Guimaras, Iloilo City and Negros Occidental after a cargo ship carrying two million liters of bunker fuel for Petron Corp. sank off the coast of Nueva Valencia, Guimaras around 4 p.m. on Friday.

http://globalnation.inq7.net/cebudailynews/visayas/view_article.php?article_id=15176

[scotsfiancee]

RP needs ‘urgent help’ to contain Guimaras oil spill
DoH issues health advisory restricting water use


Agence France-Presse, Associated Press
Last updated 03:50pm (Mla time) 08/16/2006


(UPDATE) THE Philippines Wednesday appealed for help to combat an oil spill in the waters off the island province of Guimaras in Western Visayas, which has polluted a major marine reserve and threatened the livelihoods of thousands of fishermen.

And although the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) commander Arthur Gosingan would not go so far as to call the spill the worst in the country’s history, he said that, so long as the sunken MT Solar I remained underwater, the millions of liters of oil that threaten to leak from it could make that a reality.

The Department of Health (DoH) and the Guimaras provincial government issued a health advisory to residents.

The advisory prohibits swimming along contaminated areas or in bodies of water affected by the spill.

It also restricts residents from getting water for drinking, cooking, and other household purposes in the area and warned that fish and shellfish caught or harvested within affected waters should not be eaten or sold.

[A_flyer]

Coast Guard seeks foreign help in containing Guimaras oil spill

By Edu Punay
The Philippine Star - August 16, 2006

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said yesterday it would seek help from other countries in containing what it considers as the "worst oil spill" in the country’s history.

Coast Guard commandant Vice Adm. Arthur Gosingan said they were still determining the extent of damage as last Friday’s oil spill on Guimaras island continues to spread.

But Gosingan noted that the company which owned the sunken oil tanker is likely to spend at least P50 million in clearing affected coastal areas of the spill which, he said, might take it two to three years to complete.

The oil spill has continued to spread to coastal areas around Guimaras island where a tanker carrying two million liters of bunker fuel sank reportedly because of bad weather and rough seas.

The oil spill is considered to be the biggest so far in the country with up to 10,000 residents affected.

The Coast Guard confirmed through aerial surveillance that the oil spill has spread to some 19 nautical miles from the point where the tanker sank, reaching the shorelines of Negros Occidental and affecting at least 14 barangays around the Guimaras Strait as of 7:30 a.m. yesterday.

The PCG said the oil spill has also reached the Taklong Island National Marine Reserve located at the southern tip of Guimaras island. The reserve has 29 genera of hard corals, 144 species of fish, seven species of sea grasses and three species of mangroves.

Coast Guard officials said they expect the oil spill to also reach Panay Island and other parts of Negros Occidental, based on its projectory.

They have already advised the local government units in both islands to create improvised barriers to protect the identified areas.

In a news conference at the Coast Guard headquarters in Port Area, Manila, Gosingan said the oil spill is unlikely to reach Boracay island in Aklan, which he said is "quite remote" from Guimaras island.

"If we look at the trend of oil spill, it appears that it is confined to Guimaras island. And in case it manages to reach the Visayan Sea, the oil spill would be blocked by the current in the sea which is heading back toward Guimaras island," Gosingan explained.

He stressed that their priority was to first contain the oil spill and possibly recover the sunken tanker.

"We have to expect the worst scenario. The spill is causing a lot of damage to the environment. We were hoping the oil would spill out of the tanker slowly but to our surprise it is moving very fast," Gosingan said.

The Coast Guard chief admitted they would need special equipment to recover the M/T Solar-I that has settled at 1,800 to 3,000 feet below the sea. He also said they are considering the possibility of hiring a foreign company to recover it through a salvor, a ship used in salvaging vessels.

Gosingan said they met with Coast Guard officials of Indonesia and Japan yesterday afternoon and asked for possible assistance in the oil spill containment and recovery operations. He also said the PCG is seeking help from renowned oil spill response companies in the region such as Ospar and Suluwesi.

The official said that while they try to determine the reason the tanker sank, the owner of the sunken vessel Sunshine Maritime Development Corp. would be held liable for the damage caused by the oil spill.

The oil tanker sank last Friday on its way to Zamboanga City to bring some 500,000 gallons of industrial fuel, hours after it left Limay town in Bataan.

PCG search and rescue operatives said two of the vessel’s crewmen were found dead at sea while 18 others were rescued.

Initial investigation showed the vessel sank after it encountered big waves as it passed through the Guimaras Strait.


‘Helpless’

Local authorities also appealed for help from the national government as the oil spill is too wide for them to rely on their resources alone.

"We’re helpless. The resources of the region alone are not sufficient for this," said Chief Superintendent Geary Barias, police regional director and concurrent head of the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council.

Guimaras Gov. JC Rahman Nava said, "we have already manifested our need for help from all the government agencies."

Nava said he has already talked to President Arroyo, Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz and Environment Secretary Angelo Reyes regarding the problem.

He also said that they are deliberating on the possibility of seeking help from international agencies, particularly in rehabilitating affected areas.

"The President is supportive of our efforts. She said that while we are addressing the disaster ourselves, they in the national government will also be doing what they can," Nava told reporters yesterday.

Reyes is due to arrive in the province soon to personally assess the disaster.

According to Barias, containment teams began operations yesterday.

At present, there are four containment teams battling the oil spill.

The first group is blocking the oil spill from further going south towards Negros Occidental.

The second team is working to prevent the oil slick from being carried up north towards Panay, particularly Iloilo.

The third team is in charge of suctioning the oil from the sunken vessel, now lying under 600 meters of sea water.

The fourth team is deployed along the coastline for the clean-up operations. Drums of oil dispersant have already arrived at the PCG Iloilo station, the staging area for the containment and clean-up operations.
— With Ronilo Pamonag

[scotsfiancee]

Damage from Guimaras oil spill growing, authorities say

Associated Press
Last updated 11:55am (Mla time) 08/17/2006


LA PAZ -- The Philippines' worst oil spill could ravage fisheries and other coastal resources in one of the country's central provinces, officials said Thursday, as authorities tried to contain a leak from a sunken tanker.

The Solar I, carrying 2 million liters (528,360 gallons) of fuel oil, sank Friday in deep waters south of the island province of Guimaras.

Provincial Governor Joaquin Nava said Wednesday the oil spill has affected or damaged 15 square kilometers (10 square miles) of coral reefs, over 200 kilometers (125 miles) of coastline, 1,000 hectares (2,470 acres) of marine reserves, at least two resort islands and 50 hectares (124 acres) of seaweed plantations.

In Guimaras' hard-hit La Paz village, the oil slick has stained nearly everything on its shore, including the walls of shanties that dot the beach. Small fishing boats have been grounded for nearly a week and many fishermen chatted idly amid a strong stench that resembled burning rubber.

Village leader Connie Gamuyaw said the slick was taking a toll on the poor village's livelihood and threatening its marine resources, including teeming mangroves. Some residents have begun coughing and moved away.

Gamuyaw said nearby Taclong Island, a marine reserve, used to lure a lot of foreigners, but with its beachfront and mangroves stained by the smelly slick, the visitors are gone.

"It used to be known as a paradise island, but now it's a black paradise," she said.

Nava said about a third of his province's 150,000 constituents live off the sea and an estimated 10,000 residents of coastal villages who rely on fishing are temporarily without livelihood.

"Only lately, we pulled ourselves out of the 20 poorest [provinces in the Philippines]. Now I suppose we will be going back," Nava told The Associated Press, adding that tourism and fishing were hit particularly hard.

The provincial government on Monday declared a "state of calamity" in Guimaras, allowing the speedy release of relief funds in the area, about 500 kilometers (310 miles) southeast of Manila.

Valladolid town, in nearby Negros Occidental province east of Guimaras, made a similar declaration Tuesday as the slick approached its shores.

Coast guard officials did not know how much of the fuel oil has spilled out from the tanker, which is lying 900 meters (3,000 feet) under water.

Environment Secretary Angelo Reyes told provincial officials that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo instructed him to seek help from Indonesia and Malaysia.

Nicasio Alcantara, chairman of Petron Corp., the fuel supplier, promised to help with the cleanup.

Sunshine Maritime Development Corp., which owned the tanker, will send British experts to assess whether the tanker might be salvaged or the remaining fuel oil siphoned out, according to company official Clemente Cancio.

An oil slick about 16 kilometers (10 miles) long was observed early Wednesday moving northeast between Guimaras and Negros Occidental, said Cmdr. Harold Jarder, the coast guard official in charge of cleanup efforts.

"It will be like a ticking time bomb undersea. Honestly speaking, we really have no way of knowing how much it has spilled," he told The Associated Press.

"The spill itself could take months or even years to clean up. This shows how ill-prepared we are for this type of disaster," said Von Hernandez, Southeast Asia campaign director for the environmental group Greenpeace.

Last year, more than 300,000 liters (80,000 gallons) of fuel oil spilled when a tanker ran aground near central Semirara Island.

[A_flyer]

The problem here is that they can't stop the tanker to spill oil as it's at 900m depth! so the leak will go on or increase.:bigcry:

[scotsfiancee]

Just imagine the SOLAR 1 carried 2 million liters (528,360 gallons) of fuel oil..ohhh another problem again.....residents of coastal villages who rely on fishing are temporarily without livelihood and they even got sick.:Help1: :Help1:

“The spill itself could take months or even years to clean up. This shows how ill-prepared we are for this type of disaster,” said Von Hernandez, Southeast Asia campaign director for the environmental group Greenpeace."

[A_flyer]

We perfectly know it as in the last 40 years we had in France several similar (or worst) cases in Brittany.

One example: March 16, 1978 Amoco Cadiz supertanker dragged on north Britanny coast and 230000 tons of oil went to the sea and 300km of coast were polluted.

http://www.ouest-france.fr/dossiershtm/amoco/images/carte.gif

Nota: Scotsfiance, your conversion is not good 2.000.000 liters is 440.000 gals (you us the US value instead of the UK one: Imperial Gallon).

[scotsfiancee]

British experts arrive to help assess damage in Guimaras


By Teresa Cerojano
Associated Press
Last updated 09:09pm (Mla time) 08/17/2006


LA PAZ -- British experts arrived Thursday in the central Philippines to help assess and control a major oil spill that could ravage fisheries and other coastal resources in one of the country's poorest provinces, officials said.

In Manila, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo's spokesman Ignacio Bunye said the government is appealing to international agencies "to help us accelerate the efforts to clean up the area."

The Solar I started leaking some of the two million liters (528,360 gallons) of fuel oil it was carrying after it sank Friday in deep waters south of the island province of Guimaras, which has been declared a calamity area, about 500 kilometers (310 miles) southeast of Manila. Two of the 20 crewmen were still missing Thursday.

The two British oil spill experts from the International Tanker Oil Pollution Federation "will check the oil pollution, all the clean up to be done, and to assess and come up with the recommendations," said Clemente Cancio, president of tanker owner Sunshine Maritime Development Corp.

He said they were sent by the Luxembourg-based Shipowners Mutual Protection and Indemnity Association, his company's insurer.

He said the Britons conducted an aerial survey over Guimaras on Thursday and will work closely with the coast guard.

Company secretary Gregorio Flores said they will also determine what equipment may be used to salvage the vessel, which is 900 meters (3,000 feet) under water south of Guimaras.

Provincial Governor Joaquin Nava said the oil slick has covered 300 kilometers (188 miles) of coastline and about 500 hectares (1,236 acres) of mangrove forests.

Nava said the contamination has spread to 20 villages in three towns and several islets. He earlier said the oil spill has affected or damaged 15 square kilometers (10 square miles) of coral reefs, 1,000 hectares (2,470 acres) of marine reserves, at least two resort islands and 50 hectares (124 acres) of seaweed plantations.

[A_flyer]

US and the Philippines uses US measurements.

Gallons (UK): A British imperial capacity measure (liquid or dry) equal to 4 quarts or 4.545 liters.
Gallons (US): United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters.
but as you can see, they are not the same. You will have to adapt to the UK measurements or you will have some surprises... :BouncyHappy: and I don't speak of the French feet (3cm more than the English one).

It just remind me a flight (in Canada) where the crew asked the ground mechanics for a fuel quantity in Kg and they filled the plane with the same quantity ... but in Lbs. The flight run out of fuel at mid distance and go on without any engine. The pilots were good enough to land safely on an old runway (where you had a campsite and a karting circuit).
You will say "why the pilots didn't notice?" just because their fuel gauge system was faulty, so they were obliged to rely on ground crew.

[scotsfiancee]

US and the Philippines uses US measurements.

Gallons (UK) A British imperial capacity measure (liquid or dry) equal to 4 quarts or 4.545 liters. Gallons (US) United States liquid unit equal to 4 quarts or 3.785 liters.

http://www.sanfords.net/Spots_free_graphics/arrows/arrow113.gif You are right, we are using US measurements in any things, and that's totally different in UK :xxgrinning--00xx3::Erm:

Have to learn for that:D

[scotsfiancee]

FEARING a bigger environmental catastrophe, Malacañang has sent out an SOS to the United States, Japan and Indonesia to help clean up the country’s worst oil spill. :Help1: :Help1:

[URi]

I read that only 1 tank is broken yet. They are worried the other ones may break as the pressure in 900m depth is very high. They have some pics too
Very, very sad :bigcry:
It's a german site so vor >> means "next"
http://www.stern.de/politik/panorama/568014.html?nv=ct_rl&backref=%2Fwissenschaft%2Fnatur%2F%3APhilippinen-%25D6lpest-Kinderstube-Tiere%2F568012.html&cp=1

[scotsfiancee]

Yeah i saw that pics in front page of our daily newspaper the other day.... need alot of volunteers to clean up that oil spill !!!:cwm3:
Government needs:Help1: :Help1:

[URi]

Found a picture, that shows the current situation on a map.

http://assets.panda.org/img/original/guimaras_oil_spill___aug_21.jpg

And a japanese ship with a ROV aboard is an the way and expected to arrive in 3 days.

http://globalnation.inq7.net/news/breakingnews/view_article.php?article_id=16820

[A_flyer]

What makes me angry is that AGAIN this big pollution is linked to the use of a ship in a really bad condition (and it seems not authorized for fuel transportation)... only the one in Lebanon is linked to a different reason.

" 'Leaking' ship may have caused Guimaras oil spill " http://www.philstar.com/philstar/Freeman200608261901.htm

and here a complement to Uri message:
" Salvaging of tanker set: Japanese ship to siphon oil in wreck " http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2006/aug/24/yehey/top_stories/20060824top1.html

Good the Philippines get some help!

[URi]

Yves, the linkt to " 'Leaking' ship may have caused Guimaras oil spill " isn't working...


Guimaras gives Petron 5 days to remove MT Solar 1 and its wastes
Link is on top, left corner of this page
You can also give a donation...
project sunrise (http://www.projectsunrise.org/)

[A_flyer]

Yves, the linkt to " 'Leaking' ship may have caused Guimaras oil spill " isn't working...[/URL]
That's why I don't like to refer links to Freeman/Philippines star. They don't have a good archive system unlike the Manila Times.

Captain is guilty (I will not use "may" after reading the Freeman one and this one):

" Tanker captain liable for sinking, says PCG in initial report ": [url]http://www.philstar.com/philstar/NEWS200608250415.htm (http://www.projectsunrise.org/)

[russ01539]

I wonder how much all the oil is worth ? Can it not be collected and re-sold to pay for the clean up ???

[A_flyer]

I wonder how much all the oil is worth ? Can it not be collected and re-sold to pay for the clean up ???
Can be a good idea but the fuel you get from cleaning can't be used "as is". It has to be cleaned first so it adds to the cost of the fuel itself (in it you have water, sand and a lot of varied debris). We had the same idea in France with the last oil spills we had. It's not easy, as a cleaning factory have to be built for this. It do not exit yet.
Same, pumping the fuel from the sank boat is mandatory to limit the pollution but has a big cost!

[A_flyer]

Yves, the linkt to " 'Leaking' ship may have caused Guimaras oil spill " isn't working...
The link is working now (they were modifying their web site):

" 'Leaking' ship may have caused Guimaras oil spill " http://www.philstar.com/philstar/Fre...0608261901.htm (http://www.philstar.com/philstar/Freeman200608261901.htm)

[A_flyer]

And as often, another boat emptied its tanks! :angry: surely thinking people will say it's coming from the sunk ship! :yikes: Stupid!!! but dangerous...

" Oil slick hits Subic; culprit unknown " http://www.philstar.com/philstar/NEWS200608260402.htm
OLONGAPO CITY — A huge oil spill measuring some 5,000 square meters has polluted the pristine waters of Subic Bay in Zambales...

[baboyako]

yea boracay is just full of green algae

[scotsfiancee]

Oil spill will not reach Boracay. Boracay is 200 kilometers away from Guimaras Island, and before the oil slick would reach the famous beach resort, it will traverse the Sibuyan Island.

[karlwithgal]

Still it can give Boracay a bad press ....