News
Extent of oil discharge spill near port investigated
View(s):By Nidarshani Wickramasinghe
The Panama-registered vessel, MT ASP Avana, which was also responsible for a recent oil spill near the Colombo Port, was released following a fine of Rs 15 million, Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) chairman Samantha Gunasekara said.
But investigations regarding the oil spill related to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) have yet to be completed.
A report will be submitted next week.
A floating tube with buoy was used to restrict the oil spill
The spill was reported around 3:30 a.m. on December 14 when crude oil was being offloaded from the vessel to the CPC’s crude oil discharge buoy near the Colombo port. The spill was mainly due to a fault in a pipeline.
CPC Chairman Janaka Rajakaruna said the ship carried 90,000 metric tonnes of crude oil. An investigation will ascertain the amount which had leaked.
After the inspection by MEPA, the oil recovery was begun by the Sri Lanka Navy, the Department of Coast Conservation, the CPC and the Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminals Limited (CPSTL). MEPA said the process was successfully completed within 24 hours. The Sri Lanka Coast Guard vessel Samaraksha was also used.
“We were able to retrieve a considerable amount of the spilt oil in collaboration with institutions including the private sector,’’ Mr Gunasekara said.
“The oil was transported to land. In addition, help was sought from private sector ships to retrieve the remaining small amounts of oil. Furthermore, it has also been noted over the past days that the oil was drifting away from the landmass of Sri Lanka due to the ocean currents and direction of the winds in the area.’’
In a move to further keep track of and to evaluate the actual and possible future distribution of the spillage, MEPA turned to the Sri Lanka Air Force for help.
Sri Lanka Air Force Media Spokesman Group Captain Eranda Geeganage told the Sunday Times, “The Sri Lanka Air Force video footage of the oil spill has been handed over to MEPA for necessary action.’’
Commenting on the atmospheric effect of oil spills, Senior Professor Sevvandi Jayakody of the Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries, Wayamba University, said air pollution caused by oil spills needs to be assessed and considered for compensation claims.
“In cases such as this the scientific information regarding the direction of the wave and its properties has to be scrutinised. In this case efforts made immediately by MEPA, the Sri Lanka Navy and the CPC have to be commended. But I feel that there are not enough efficient members in MEPA. There is also a shortage of experts in Sri Lanka in this field.
“In oil spills, control measures involve the use of chemical dispersants. Certain substances in oil can be dispersed into the atmosphere. Pollutants in the atmosphere are invisible, and air pollution in this case often goes unnoticed. This area deserves serious attention. In a situation involving oil spills in which compensation claims are sought, air pollution must be considered,” she said.
Notably, she said the levels of air pollution in Sri Lanka, and specifically the Colombo metropolitan region, are high and that the impact of the air pollution that originates in the Indian subcontinent is also significant to the country.
“These pollutants turn into particles and droplets, moving between ocean water and the atmosphere. The way these pollutants move needs to be studied to assess the possible influence that exists. The relevant authorities in Sri Lanka must take into consideration such air pollution concerns referred to as ‘hidden exposures’,” she stressed.
The best way to say that you found the home of your dreams is by finding it on Hitad.lk. We have listings for apartments for sale or rent in Sri Lanka, no matter what locale you're looking for! Whether you live in Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Matara, Jaffna and more - we've got them all!