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Harbor Star has been tapped for oil spill response and salvage of tanker M/T Terranova which capsized in Limay, Bataan at the height of typhoon Carina on July 25
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The tanker was carrying about 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel oil
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HSSSI entered into a no-cure, no-pay contract with the owner of Philippine-flagged M/T Terranova for the salvage and oil spill response operations
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HSSSI has mobilized its tugboats and salvage equipment to the grounding site
Harbor Star Shipping Services, Inc. (HSSSI) has been tapped for oil spill response and salvage of tanker M/T Terranova, which capsized at the height of typhoon Carina in Limay, Bataan on July 25.
The tanker was carrying approximately 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel oil.
In a regulatory disclosure on July 26, HSSSI said it entered into a no-cure, no-pay contract with Shogun Ships Co., Inc., owner of Philippine-flagged M/T Terranova, for the salvage and oil spill response operations to minimize the possible environmental damage resulting from the accident.
HSSSI said it immediately mobilized its tugboats and salvage equipment to the grounding site.
On July 25, at around 01:10 a.m., M/T Terranova capsized and submerged nearly 7 km east of Lamao Point.
The tanker had 17 crew members, of which 16 were rescued. The body of the one missing member was found in the vicinity waters of Limay mid-afternoon of July 25.
The Department of Transportation, in a separate statement, said the tanker sank in relatively shallow waters where oil booms were immediately deployed. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is also closely coordinating with the local government units for assistance to prevent any spread of the oil spill.
“These vessels will start the application of oil dispersants to immediately mitigate impact, especially during the period where siphoning is being prepared,” said PCG commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan.
“The PCG sets an operational target of seven days to finish siphoning the oil from the sunken tanker to stop further spread,” Gavan added.
PCG spokesperson Armando Balilo earlier reported that there was no public storm warning signal raised over Bataan when M/T Terranova departed from Limay, hence, it did not violate rules and regulations pertinent to the movement of vessels during heavy weather.
“The vessel sunk 34-meter deep which is considerably shallow. Siphoning will not be very technical and can be done quickly to protect the vicinity waters of Bataan and Manila Bay against environmental, social, economic, financial and political impacts,” Balilo said.
PCG said it is currently working with several oil spill responders that expressed their intention to assist in the ongoing oil spill response operations. Oil companies, like Petron Corp., and the PCG Auxiliary also volunteered to help.
