The sinking of the vessel and subsequent spilling of oil has caused environmental problem.
A review meeting by the Director General of Shipping as part of follow up action on the oil response abatement measures from the sunken ship Rak Carrier was held Monday here, according to official sources.
The present situation to control and mitigate were discussed and deliberated with the key coastal state authorities, owners and other concerned agencies. The representatives of state environment department, Indian Coast Guard, Principal Officer Mercantile Marine Department, Mumbai Port, Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB), Maharashtra State Pollution control board, including the BMC, local correspondent of P&I Club, local agents and salvage companies showing expression of interest participated in the meeting.
The Indian Coast Guard notified that the oil from the sunken vessel was continuing to escape but at the reduced rate of about 1 tone per hour.
The continuous trail of the oil leak from the vessel was observed up to 12 Nautical Miles, very thick oil up to 1 nautical mile, thick layer of oil up to 2 nautical mile and thereafter only oil sheen is visible till 12 nautical miles.
The Indian Coast Guard vessel Sankalp, oil pollution response vessel Samudra Prahari and one more response vessel Amrit Kaur were present to abate oil pollution using oil spill dispersant (OSD) to neutralize the affected area. In addition, these vessels were continuously monitoring the situation. The Coast Guard also conducted air sorties in the morning.
The Indian Coast Guard and Maharashtra State Maritime Pollution Board have taken the oil samples from the proximity of the ship and onshore respectively for carrying out analysis including DNA testing.
The State Environment Department reported that oil patches have been seen at Gurai, Alibaug and proximate area besides Juhu Beach. The oil streak is reported to have stretch up to 5-6 kilometers along the Alibaug shoreline.
The local P&I correspondent is expected to mobilize suitable resources to either seal the source of leakage from the ship or debunker the oil from the sunken vessel soon taking into account the prevailing sea and weather conditions in the proximity of casualty.
The Mumbai Port informed that verbal navigational warning over the VHF is being broadcasted about the location of the sunken ship to warn the mariner.
The local P&I Correspondent has been advised to mark the sunken ship with a suitable wreck marking buoy in consultation with Director General of Lightship and Lighthouses (DGLL) at the earliest.
The Investigation into Oil Pollution under the provision of Merchant Shipping Act 1958 has begun. The welfare and security of all crew members is being taken care of as required by the prevailing International Laws.
Director General of Shipping, will review the situation again with the concerned authorities and agencies again on August 9 afternoon.
