The South Africa Incident Management Organisation (IMOrg) has launched an investigation into an oily substance spillage believed to have come from a vehicle transportation vessel that was anchored in Algoa Bay, reports the South African Maritime Safety Authority, reports SAMSA.
Preliminary Investigation
The oily substance, whose exact quantity has yet to be established, said SAMSA; was reported after a vessel in the Algoa Bay spotted oil-like blobs and an oily sheen on the water, following which TNPA Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) investigated.
“The preliminary investigation by the response craft found an oily substance on the water at about 5 pm on Saturday. The launch reported that the oily substance in the water was coming from the Motor Vessel.
“However, further investigation was postponed due to the onset of darkness late Saturday. During the evening SAMSA approached the vessel insurers to provide oil spill trajectory modeling from ITOPF (International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Limited). This would ensure that the next day’s spill response would be focused in the appropriate area.
Early on Sunday, SAMSA reported that an Incident Management meeting was held by the IMOrg members, consisting of SAMSA, TNPA, DFFE, SANPARKS Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB), as well as the vessel agent and vessel insurer’s representatives in South Africa.”
Determining The Cause
IMOrg, a virtual organization chaired by the Department of Transport (DoT) and SAMSA as the co-chair and secretariat, is South Africa’s preparedness forum for Government and industry joint response to oil spills within South Africa’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of approximately 1.5-million km² across the Atlantic, Southern and Indian Oceans.
IMOrg’s membership is drawn from various sectors of society inclusive of State departments including the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment and public institutions, private companies, and non-governmental organizations. IMOrg is responsible for the implementation of South Africa’s national Oil Spill Contingency Plan (NOSCP).
“During the meeting,” said SAMSA: ” arrangements were made to speedily launch the necessary efforts to both determine the cause of the oil spillage from the vessel the extent of the reported oil spill, as well as how to contain its spread in the Algoa Bay region and to protect the wildlife on the nearby islands of St Croix and Bird Island.
“Surveillance would involve sea patrols by boat, aerial surveillance by helicopter and drones launched from oil response boats as well as coastal foot patrols along the beach areas that were identified by ITOPF is likely to be impacted.
“A surveillance flight by rotary wing aircraft was carried out on Sunday afternoon in strong winds. The flight plan was directed by the results of the ITOPF modeling and included the St Croix Island group. The flight was attended by Officials from SANPARKS and SAMSA. No oil or oily sheen was spotted. The SANPARKS rangers conducted a foot patrol of the beaches between the Port of Ngqura and Sundays River. No oil was spotted…”
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Source: SAMSA
