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Date Published: 01/09/2022

ARCHIVED - Gibraltar confirms heavy oil spillage from sinking bulk carrier off the coast of Cadiz

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The ship was involved in a huge crash with another boat in the Bay of Algeciras off the coast of southern Spain

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - Gibraltar confirms heavy oil spillage from sinking bulk carrier off the coast of Cadiz

The Gibraltar Port Authority has confirmed a heavy fuel oil leak from the semi-sunken bulk carrier OS35, stranded on the coast east of Gibraltar after colliding with a liquified natural gas tanker ADAM LNG on Monday August 30.

According to a statement issued by the Gibraltar Government, a quantity of the spill has escaped through the perimeter of the carrier's first containment boom.

A salvage team on board identified the source of the leak in two vents in the ship's fuel tanks, all of which had previously been sealed but became loose following the crash.

Divers deployed to the area have been able to re-establish the seals, and the Gibraltar Port Authority is “now in the process of stemming the leak of liquid from these vents”.

While 80% of the fuel from the tanker has already been extracted, officials in the Spanish municipality of La Línea de la Concepción, directly opposite Gibraltar, say that oil has already spread to their coastline.

Meanwhile, the Authority’s ‘J’ formation and the Spanish Maritime Rescue vessel ‘Luz de Mar’ are currently clearing the spill on the surface of the water and the plan is to deploy a second sea boom to prevent it spreading further.

Skimmers are being deployed on board to begin collecting spilled oil that remains inside the first boom and a fuel removal barge will “shortly” approach the vessel to begin pumping.

“Approx 4,000 litres of a mix of oil and water have already been recovered from inside the boom that is alongside the vessel. The clean-up work continues,” confirmed the HM Govt Gibraltar at 4pm on Thursday September 1.

There is said to be significant damage to the starboard side of the OS 35, including a 10-metre gash below the waterline. It was carrying 183 tonnes of heavy fuel oil, 250 tonnes of diesel and 27 tonnes of lube oil, and was leaving Gibraltar to head to Vlissengen in the Netherlands when it clipped the ADAM LNG, which appears to have suffered no significant damage.

The crew on board the OS 35 were unhurt.

In other news: Seville airport opens new No Schengen departures area

Images: HM Government of Gibraltar

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