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Balancing safety, urgency in draining Terranova
By J.Lo
“We are balancing safety and desire of the people to return to their normal lives,” Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan in an interview said PCG reiterated need to be careful in draining over million liters of industrial fuel from submerged tanker Terranova.
Painstaking approach in siphoning estimated 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel from Terranova sank 34 meters deep and 3.6 nautical miles off Lamao Point in Limay town, Bataan should not affect nearby highly industrialized areas and “sensitive” marine and coastal areas, he said.
According to an update from PCG’s Bataan oil spill incident commander Michael John Encina, salvage company in charge of siphoning operations for Terranova said “out of 24 valves, 12 have been secured and are leak-free no metal cappings required.”
“For remaining 12 valves, six have been capped as of Aug. 9. .. installation of metal cappings on final six valves are ongoing,” he stressed.
“Very thin” oil sheen from Terranova has been confined to area where oil spill booms were deployed, has been diluted by water later on, he said.
Estimated 300,000 out of 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel would be siphoned while underwater to allow capsized vessel to refloat, and additional 50,000 to 60,000 liters a day would be drained as soon as it is towed to shore.
Meanwhile, Encina said draining of seawater from another sunken tanker Jason Bradley started.
Gavan pointed out siphoning 5,500 liters of diesel oil carried by Jason Bradley would start once capsized tanker has been refloated.
PCG is using absorbent pads, as well as “minimal and careful” use of oil dispersants, to collect leaking oil from Jason Bradley, he added.
With regard to MV Mirola 1 ran aground in Mariveles, Gavan said PCG has collected over hundred liters of water mixed with oil, believed to have come from two drums of heavy oil that spilled inside ship.
Encina added divers started assessing its hull.
With no one from MV Mirola 1 reaching out, PCG’s marine casualty investigation team has coordinated with National Bureau of Investigation for efforts to probe allegations of oil smuggling in grounded ship, he said.
Last year, PCG held 18 sailors from MV Mirola 1 for illegally transferring fuel to three boats off waters of Navotas, according to media report on Jan. 31, 2023.
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