August 24, 2024 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — A total of 161,612 liters out of the estimated 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel have been extracted from tanker Terra Nova that sank off Limay town in Bataan, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported.
According to an update from the PCG yesterday, Harbor Star – the company it hired to perform salvage operations on the sunken tanker – reported having collected 2,350 liters on Aug. 19, 36,100 liters on Aug. 20, 42,026 liters on Aug. 21; and 81,136 liters on Aug. 22.
Harbor Star also recorded an extraction rate of 7,200 liters per hour using pumps for siphoning.
The PCG said its patrol vessel BRP Sindangan used water cannon to “agitate the minimal oil sheen observed” after flying drones for surveillance at the area where Terra Nova sunk.
Terra Nova, owned by Shogun Ships, sank 34 meters deep at 3.6 nautical miles off Lamao Point in Limay last July 25 when the southwest monsoon enhanced by Super Typhoon Carina battered most of Luzon.
The vessel’s 16 crewmembers were rescued while its second mate died.
The tanker was supposed to sail towards Iloilo but turned back upon arrival in Batangas after encountering strong waves. The PCG said Terra Nova sailed amid the stormy weather as no tropical cyclone wind signal was raised in the area at the time.
According to the PCG, all 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel should be siphoned from Terra Nova before it would be refloated.
Organic booms
Meanwhile, the Pampanga Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) and partner agencies installed at least 155 organic booms along the 930-meter Pampanga bay to protect fishing grounds from the possible effects of oil spills off the coast of neighboring Bataan.
The provincial government tapped its workforce from the Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) beneficiaries and the Philippine Coast Guard and PDRRMO personnel to build 2,594 booms.
A direct impact on Pampanga’s coastal waters will affect 140,046 fisherfolk and agri-fishery workers in Guagua, Lubao, Macabebe, Masantol, Minalin and Sasmuan towns.
Pampanga is part of Central Luzon’s top fish-producing provinces, which supplies the requirements in Metro Manila and neighboring regions.
Ralph Pablo, Department of Environment and Natural Resources regional director, in a recent meeting organized by the Provincial Government of Pampanga, said the organic booms “could greatly help in the containment” done in Bataan.
The recent oil spill has exposed the vulnerability of coastal waters along Manila Bay and Pampanga Bay. — Ric Sapnu
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