Sunken vessel’s firm asked to pay penalty
For exposing Talisay City's seas to potential environmental hazards, owners of sunken cargo vessel MV Fortuner will have to pay a fine in favor of the city government.
The City Council yesterday approved a resolution demanding Seen Sam Shipping Inc. to pay P2,000 daily starting from May 7, the day when the vessel sank, until such time the vessel will be fished out from the waters.
In his resolution, Councilor Antonio Bacaltos Jr., chairman of the Council Committee on Environment Protection, urged the City Legal Office to draft the demand letter.
Bacaltos said the longer the vessel stays on the sea floor, the higher the chance it will cause damage to the environment, particularly to marine life.
“Maningil gyud ang siyudad ana para makuha dayon aron ma-prevent ang environmental pollution. Kinahanglan makuha ang oil, fuel nga naa karon nga maka-pollute sa kadagatan ug makaapekto sa livelihood sa mananagat,” he told reporters yesterday.
On Monday, Bacaltos met with a representative of Seen Sam Shipping and told the latter about the council's plan to impose the penalty.
"Nagkaistorya na mi sa liaison officer nila. Siya na ang mo-relay sa message," Bacaltos said.
To recall, MV Fortuner sank early morning of May 7 when the crew noticed a sudden crack in the middle of the vessel. All 22 crew members, including the ship captain, were safe after they were rescued by Fortuner's sister ship.
Coast guard personnel earlier said the sunken vessel does not pose any risk to passing vessels since it submerged 120 feet.
They also said there were no traces of an oil spill in the area, although an oil sheen has been found. This is the reason why the ship has to be extracted.
An oil sheen has the attributes of light cooking oil; it is highly volatile when exposed to sunlight and usually stays on the surface.
At present, a group of divers hired by the sunken ship's company is checking the vessel's position underwater to assess how it can be salvaged.
Meanwhile, the city will also soon start collecting environment fee from cargo ships anchored in the city's seawaters.
“The continued anchorage of large ships within the territorial waters of the city has caused undue stress and damage on the city's marine resources. The city has the authority to collect environmental fees for every ship that anchors or is grounded and stranded within its municipal waters,” the resolution read.