| Oil spill in Karachi threatens wildlife and health
August 22, 2003
An oil spill from a grounded tanker close to the coast of Karachi, Pakistan, is threatening environmental and human health in the area. The spill has already spread to the popular Clifton Beach and there are fears it could soon cover the area of Port Qasim and the 40km long belt of the Karachi coastline, as well as nearby mangroves and fisheries, if current efforts to contain it are unsuccessful. Reports from local press and environmental groups say there are already dead fish and turtles coming ashore, and numerous claims of respiratory problems, nausea and vomiting, from visitors, due to the airborne fumes. The spill was caused when the single-hulled tanker, the Tasman Spirit, ran aground one kilometre from the Karachi port, on 27 July, carrying 67,000 tonnes of Iranian crude oil. Cracks appeared in the hull on 14 August, leaking oil into the sea. Of the four tanks aboard the Tasman Spirit, one has been saved, containing 20,000 tonnes of oil. A second tank, containing about 12,000 tonnes burst open, leaking all of its oil into the sea, and the tanker itself has now cracked into two pieces, with the remaining oil (approximately 35,000 tonnes) still aboard. A spokesperson for the Karachi Port Trust told edie that a rescue vessel, Fair Jolly, is anchored next to the marooned vessel to start the transfer of remaining oil. Authorities are waiting for a favourable tide to start the operation and estimate ten days to complete the transfer. Oil Spill Response Ltd (ORSL), a Southampton based engineering firm specialising in oil spills, have already begun a clean-up operation on the beaches and in the water around the tanker. David Salt, Technical Director of ORSL, told edie that the beach area was already heavily affected due to the proximity of the broken tanker. “There is also a south western monsoon right now, pushing the oil straight to the shore,” he said. “We have begun spraying dispersants over the spill to break it up and make it less adherent, which will make it easier to remove from the beaches. We’re combining this with a manual recovery operation on the beach. Quite literally scraping it off.” He added that there could be an extra problem with high levels of sediment in the water. This can have the effect of pulling the oil down to the sea-bed, from where it is far harder to clean. The Karachi Port Trust has lodged a formal complaint with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and is claiming damages from Polembros, the Greek company who own the broken tanker. Under the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution, the owner is liable for damages up to US$3.8million, plus US$537.6million for each additional gross tonne over 5,000 tonnes of oil spilled. Source: http://www.edie.net/gf.cfm?L=left_frame.html&R=http://www.edie.net/news/Archive/7416.cfm Reposted 10-31-03 study post fair use http://www.valdezlink.com/doc_gen.htm
http://www.valdezlink.com/new_oil_spill.htm
|
