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ARCHIVED - Tanker ordered into Almeria port for causing huge oil slick in the Atlantic
The oil tanker was caught red-handed illegally dumping hydrocarbons into the sea to the northeast of La Palma by a European Maritime Safety Agency satellite and a Spanish Maritime Rescue plane.
The Aldan, an oil tanker sailing under a Liberian flag, has been detained in the Port of Almeria under orders from the Directorate General of the Merchant Navy after being spotted dumping oil in the sea 147 miles northeast of La Palma, within Spain’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
The ship’s captain was ordered to change its course and enter the Port of Almeria while sailing to the south of Cabo de Gata on Sunday evening and a Spanish Navy vessel accompanied the tanker to ensure the order was followed.
The illegal dumping has caused an oil slick of some 55 square kilometres in the Atlantic, and those responsible for the tanker, which will be retained in Almeria until they pay a deposit, may face one of the heftiest fines ever issued by the Merchant Navy Directorate for contamination.
The authorities have stressed that the move is proof of the efficient work carried out by the Spanish Maritime Administration to control the seas and pursue those who commit illegal actions.
Much has been done to crack down on contamination risks since the devastation caused in Galicia when the Prestige tanker sank off the Costa da Morta in 2002, spilling millions of gallons of oil into the sea in what is still considered one of the worst oil spills in modern history.
However, carelessness and intentional dumping continue to endanger the environment and have catastrophic effects on the environment, which must be controlled before it’s too late.