Experts warn of environmental disaster if bunkering spills persist
Algoa Bay is on a collision course for an environmental disaster if the frequency and size of oil spills through bunkering continues, experts say.
Crews have battled to contain and clean up the latest ship-to-ship bunkering spill in Algoa Bay, saying that dealing with a much larger spill would be impossible.
Raggy Charters boat skipper Jake Keaton said cleanup teams were working hard and efficiently but still struggled to contain the spill, which occurred at about noon on Monday at Bunkering Anchorage 2 off the Port of Ngqura adjacent to the Addo Marine Protected Area.
Algoa Bay Conservation has called for ship-to-ship bunkering to be suspended in Algoa Bay at least until the environmental risk assessment being done by the Transnet National Ports Authority has been completed and considered.
Algoa Bay Conservation, the Wildlife and Environment Society and the SA Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds have pointed to the threat oil pollution poses to the endangered African penguins and the Addo Marine Protected Area as well as sustainable development in Nelson Mandela Bay and the western region of the Eastern Cape.
Keaton said yesterday the telltale sheen on the water was so wide when he visited the scene on Tuesday that it was difficult to see where a cleanup would start.
“Speaking to the cleanup guys, the wind was less than when they started working and that’s when they got the bulk of the work done,” he said.
“But with just a little bit of wind it becomes impossible. The stuff moves around and spreads.
“There were teams on six boats and the guys had been going nonstop and the spill still wasn’t totally cleaned up.
“We spoke to the guys on the boats and they were absolutely finished.
“This is a significant spill, but it’s not a giant spill.
“If we have a really big one there’s no way we’re going to cope.”
Algoa Bay Conservation spokesperson Ronelle Friend said with the SA Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa) having undertaken an aerial survey, clarity was needed on how far the slick had spread.
“Some of the fuel will sink and kill life below the surface,” she said.
“Seabirds and fish will be drawn to the sulphur compounds in the fuel, adding to the risk of them getting oiled.
“We would like confirmation that it was 3,000l of fuel that went overboard, which is the information we have, and we need to know what caused the pipe to rupture which led to the spill.”
She said Bay marine conservation bodies had for some time been pointing to the problem of minor unreported spills from ship-to-ship bunkering and other shipping activity, combined with the four confirmed bunkering spills since 2016.
“Given that the cleanup teams are struggling to clean up even this spill, we also need to know how are they going to manage a much larger one.”
Argyros “Kosta” Constantinos, a director at Minerva, which bought out Aegean, the first bunkering firm approved to do business in Algoa Bay in 2016, said yesterday the incident occurred as fuel storage vessel Mnenga II was transferring fuel to bunkering barge Lefkas. “We contract both vessels from MM Marine and Mnenga II supplies fuel to all the bunkering barges operating in Algoa Bay, both ours and the one other company operating currently, Heron Marine (Traffigura).
“In the incident on Monday, a hose ruptured while transfer of fuel was under way and, because of how the system works, supply was immediately and automatically cut.
“Because the barge is 3m high and the supply vessel is 20m high, what was left in the pipe, approximately 1,500l, escaped into the sea.
“The spill at that stage was completely contained between the two vessels and the boom that was lowered. We are investigating how the spill escaped.”
He said the hose was still within its certification period and it was not clear why it had burst.
“We will be sending it to the manufacturer. He must tell us.”
Samsa spokesperson Tebogo Ramatjie said the safety authority and its partners had the incident under control.
“The amount of oil spilled is still under investigation.
“Investigation is also under way as to the root cause of the accident.
“The inspection of both vessels is up to date.”
He said modelling indicated that the spill would not impact the Swartkops River or metro beaches but was drifting eastwards towards Woody Cape beaches.
“Resources are being deployed on a daily basis depending on the spread as reported by surveillance mechanisms deployed.
“Helicopters and a small drone were deployed in addition to booms, skimmers and other oil spill equipment.
“The offshore patrol vessel Sarah Baartman will arrive in Algoa Bay at 9pm tonight [Wednesday] to stand by in case she is needed.
“At this moment, Sanccob has enough equipment available should there be any oiled birds.”
Ramatjie said Samsa and its partners were well prepared to counter the incident.
“The last full-scale joint industry-government oil spill response deployment exercise was held in Cape Town on May 12-13 where the National Oil Spill Response Plan was tried and tested.
“This exercise helped considerably to ensure that the response for the spill in Algoa Bay is being managed in the best possible manner and has allowed for the quick deployment of resources to contain the spread of the oil.”