PHOTO: Dave Savides
NO costs have been calculated and no blame has been laid as yet concerning last week’s oil spillage in the Port of Richards Bay.
Ensuring that the environment is safe and learning valuable lessons for all ports are, for the moment, taking priority.
That was the message to various media at a press conference hosted yesterday (Tuesday) by Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) and Engen, operators at the bunker terminal where the spillage occurred on 5 April.
Herbert Msagala, TNPA chief operating officer, placed the incident in context by describing the environmental sensitivity of the port against the ever-increasing number of shipping movements.
‘Our last significant similar event was in 1991, when about 200t of oil spilled from the CSK Everest.
‘Since then, environmental laws have become much stricter and demand appropriate incident management,’ said Msagala.
‘We need to look at what we could have done better and have identified areas where we could improve.’
Msagala said response had been stepped up when it was realised the amount of oil leaked far exceeded the 1 000 litres originally reported (to the amended figure of 6 000 liters).
Mangroves
A Joint Operations Management Committee (JOC) was established, comprising TNPA, Engen, Terminal Operations, Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs and Ezemvelo, augmented by environmentalists, specialist scientists and spillage cleaning experts.
A separate Environmental JOC was appointed.
At the end of each day, planning for the following day was made and targets were set, focussing on the worst affected areas.
The impact of oil on the port’s 350Ha of mangroves (which has proliferated from just 50Ha in 1976) will only be known over the next two years, according to Engen’s environmental manager Sandra Redelinghuys.
About 1Ha (3% of the port’s mangrove population) has been badly affected.
‘Mangroves can die over time and if necessary Engen has a sapling programme through which we can replenish them.’
Redelinghuys said a sharp eye was also being kept on a Tern breeding area but there had been no reports of dead fish and isolated incidences of birds being affected.
Shipping movements
Msagala praised the efforts of those involved and said one positive spin-off had been the improved relationship between TNPA and other lead authorities.
Although TNPA had issued a communiqué to stakeholders last Wednesday to the effect that ‘No incoming vessels will be allowed to berth and no vessels are to sail until further notice’, TNPA denied that the port had been closed.
They reported 71 shipping movements over the 10 days since the spillage, and said of eight vessels contaminated by oil, four had already been cleaned and had sailed.
How did it happen?
THE cause of the oil spill is still under investigation and there were more questions than answers as reporters faced TNPA and Engen on Tuesday.
While not evading the issue of liability and blame, both parties were adamant that it would be premature to speculate before proper investigations were completed according to due processes.
But the questions remain: since the pipeline was decommissioned two years ago, why did in still contain a vast quantity of oil and how did it escape, seemingly under pressure?
According to Engen, all product was pumped out of the 2.5km pipeline when it was decommissioned; it was completely out of use; and it was closed with three valves in series.
