Fear of ecological disaster off South Korean coast
A Hong Kong-registered supertanker spilled more than 66,000 barrels of crude oil into the sea off South Korea yesterday, threatening a maritime park and tourist area in what is the nation's worst oil spill.
A crane-carrying barge, Samsung No1, slammed into the Hebei Spirit at 7.30am as it waited for a pilot ship about 11km off Daesan port, 150km southwest of Seoul.
The barge tore holes in three of the ship's oil tanks, causing the crude to gush into the heavy seas and leaving authorities battling to contain a slick stretching for 8km.
"We are worried about an ecological disaster," said Kim Jong-sik, an official with the South Korean ministry of maritime affairs and fisheries.
"We have set up a boom, trying to stop oil from spreading along the coast, but oil sometimes overflows it, depending on the currents. If we fail to contain the spread it is feared it will inflict serious damage to the coast."
Sub-zero temperatures are slowing the spread of the oil, which could help limit the damage. If not contained, the oil would take about 48 hours to reach shore, a ministry spokesman said.
The spill, about a quarter of the size of the Exxon Valdez spill which devastated the Alaskan coastline, happened in the Yellow Sea off South Korea's Taean county.
The spill threatens the Taean Marine National Park, which encompasses about 130 islands and includes Mallipo Beach and Anmyeon Island, two of South Korea's most popular holiday spots.
The area is also an important transit stop for migratory birds.
The 146,000-tonne ship is owned by giant Hebei Ocean Shipping, the mainland's third-largest shipping firm, which listed on the Hong Kong stock market in 2005. A company spokesman said an investigation would be held into the incident. But he praised the crew for taking quick action that prevented far more oil from emptying into the sea.
There were 30 Indian crew on the ship, which was transporting 260,000 tonnes of oil - about 1.8 million barrels - from the Middle East.
Four helicopters and more than 15 vessels from the South Korean coast guard and navy were sent to try to help contain the spill. Initial efforts were hampered by 3-4 metre seas but good progress was made once the leak was blocked at about 4pm.The spill is already twice the size of the previous largest oil spill off South Korea. In 1995, the 144,567-tonne tanker Sea Prince hit a reef, releasing 5,035 tonnes of oil off the south coast, causing US$80 million damage.
The Hong Kong Marine Department said it was keeping in contact with South Korean authorities and would carry out its own investigation.
The world's most damaging, but not biggest, oil spill occurred in 1989 when the Exxon Valdez supertanker released about 260,000 barrels into Alaska's Prince William Sound.
3 comments:
Since fossil oil became the main source of energy in the 19th century, the demand of oil is rapidly increasing and some country even need to import oil from other country . The transport of these cruel oil is dangerous since these supertanker are huge ~ accident always happens ,and cause a huge disaster to the nature~however our civilization can't "live" without energy.
Since fossil oil became the main source of energy in the 19th century, the demand of oil is rapidly increasing and some country even need to import oil from other country . The transport of these cruel oil is dangerous since these supertanker are huge ~ accident always happens ,and cause a huge disaster to the nature~however our civilization can't "live" without energy.
It is a difficult situation as there is still not another type of energy source which can replace oil effectively. Gordon, you can read "The end of cheap food" and find out the problems of finding alternative energy source.
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