(Trinidad Guardian) A tug boat towing a barge from Panama bound for Guyana was involved in the oil spill incident off Tobago – and the wrecked barge, which is leaking the oil, is now sinking.
Government has now called in top international maritime security investigators I.R. Consilium to support local and regional effforts to identify the vessels and their owners.
National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds confirmed this yesterday in response to Guardian Media queries on the issue.
After the oil-leaking vessel was detected last Wednesday lodged on a reef off Tobago’s coast, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley last Sunday said the vessel – unknown up to then – had apparently drifted upside down into Tobago’s littoral zone and appeared to be broken.
Oil from the 90-metre, largely submerged vessel befouled coastlines from Scarborough to Lowlands. Containment and clean-up was launched by the Tobago House of Assembly and government agencies.
The UNC and NTA subsequently slammed Government on the breach of security systems with the vessel’s entry into T&T waters. The IDA and UNC called for Government to make the vessel’s owners pay for damage caused to T&T and NGO Fishermen and Friends of the Sea questioned its origin, the crisis management and other issues.
Yesterday, Hinds said investigations were still ongoing .
“But in terms of the vessel’s origin, we’re in a far better position now than last week. All resources available to us locally and internationally are being used in this matter,” he said.
Hinds said locally, the T&T Coast Guard (TTCG), Maritime Services Division and National Coastal Surveillance Radar Centre Radar are investigating the matter.
“Also, the Ministry of National Security, in particular the TTCG, is collaborating with other local and regional agencies, including Caricom’s Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), the Guyana Coast Guard (GCG), the Maritime Services Division, and I.R. Consilium, through consultant Dr Ian Ralby, to identify the vessels and their owners.”
A subsequent ministry release stated, “The TTCG has confirmed that at least two vessels were involved in the oil spill incident.”
Video footage and other information obtained by TTCG confirmed that the two vessels were the tug boat and the barge. The ministry said the oil spill appeared to be emanating from the wrecked barge.
The TTCG confirmed the barge was being towed by the tug, the Solo Creed, from Panama. Investigations revealed that the vessels appear to have been bound for Guyana. However, the Guyanese authorities confirmed that neither the tug nor the barge ever entered Guyana waters.
“At this stage, it is not known whether any lives have been lost in the incident,” the ministry added.
Radar Centre lost contact with vessels
The ministry said satellite imagery had shown the Solo Creed tug towing an object on February 4, 2024.
“The National Coastal Surveillance Radar Centre (NCSRC) was able to use this information to track the tug in T&T waters, towing an object. The NCSRC eventually lost radar contact with both vessels,” the ministry added.
As part of the investigation, Caricom IMPACS contacted the authorities in Panama and Aruba for photographs of the tug boat and the barge.
The Dutch authorities in Aruba provided images of the tug towing the barge, and these images were used to confirm the identity of both vessels.
The ministry added that the TTCG is also examining video footage supplied by the Guyana Coast Guard of the barge, “as it appeared to be sinking”.
The TTCG is now using certain distinctive markings of the barge to confirm its identity.
Hinds said he appreciated the support being provided by regional agencies.
“We’ve been working very closely with the Guyana Coast Guard on this critical matter and we appreciate their full-scale support. Similarly, I’m appreciative of Caricom IMPACS and the work and support of our international partners in this matter.
“I give the assurance that the TTCG will continue to work with other local and regional authorities in this investigation, and we look forward to a swift and successful resolution to all our benefit,” Hinds added.