(Trinidad Guardian) Exactly one week after Tobago confirmed another oil leak at the Gulfstream barge wreckage site at Cove, there has been a third spill.
The Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) said yesterday that it is working to determine the volume of hydrocarbon deposits that escaped from the barge just after midday yesterday. However, there are no plans to reinstall containment booms, as global oil spill response company QT Environment is responsible for vacuuming any escaped oil at sea before it reaches the shore.
“T&T Salvage LLC (international salvaging company) is working around the vessel so the placement of booms is not a necessity. But the plan, at the last meeting, is the NOFI would be utilised for extraction of any oil that has been released to prevent it from going to other territories,” TEMA director Allan Stewart explained.
He said the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) has a plan in case the oil drifts to shore.
“We are set and ready to respond if it comes toward the shoreline but the Ministry of Energy, who is leading the operation, said there are two divisions of labour—in agreement with the ministry—that the THA takes care of the shoreline clean-up and they take care of the inventory of the oil itself from the vessel. They have identified QT Environment to be that response team if there is any leakage to be mopped up at sea.”
Stewart also said TEMA is awaiting official correspondence from the ministry to activate its defence plan. Until then, all stakeholders, including members of the All-Tobago Fisherfolk Association (ATFA), are on standby.
Attempts to reach Energy and Energy Industries Minister Stuart Young for comment yesterday were unsuccessful.
Last week’s leak was caused by a disturbance of the vessel, likely due to adverse weather conditions. Although a large volume of bunker fuel escaped, the shoreline was spared, as it drifted away from land.
Following a meeting led by Chief Secretary Farley Augustine that included THA and Energy Ministry officials, it was determined that the latest oil spill was not an immediate threat to the coastline.
The overturned barge crashed just off the coast of Cove on February 7, spewing bunker fuel and devastating 15 kilometres of coastline. On-land clean-up was fully completed just weeks ago. Salvaging of the vessel is ongoing.
Up to last week, the ministry reported that some 11,000 barrels of hydrocarbon were left to be vacuumed from inside the barge. This part of the operation is expected to be done next month. When this is completed, attempts to remove the vessel will commence.
However, ATFA Curtis Douglas says Tobago fishermen are on edge.
“Right now, we are upset. We warned them. From June 11, we made aware to Farley Augustine, the prime minister, the minister and TEMA director Allan Stewart of the current situation. They did not deny the boat is leaking but what was done from then to now is nothing. They said they sweating the oil, that was not done,” he said.
Douglas said the spill is damaging fishing grounds.
“Why is this happening at the stage even after they were warned and advised? Where is the Chief Secretary? Where is everybody?” he asked.
“Let fisherfolk mop up the oil. Give us the absorbent booms that are lying under the bed of Allan Stewart and let the fisherfolk mop up the oil so we can get it under control so it does infect and destroy the fishing grounds. There must be mitigation,” he added.