Asia/Pacific News
Tanker May Be Linked to 15 Tonne Fuel Oil Spill in Malaysia
Captain Abdul Samad Shaik Osman, Director for the Malaysian Marine Department's Northern Region, Monday said a 15 tonne fuel oil spill, which occurred in Penang's North Channel waters Friday night, may have been caused by a Port Klang-registered oil tanker that was receiving a fuel delivery at the Prai Bulk Cargo Terminal at the time of the spill.
"Our officers are still looking to see if the leakage could have come from elsewhere," Samad told local media.
"We are also now investigating the inland fuel depot," he added referring to the cargo terminal, and noting that "the oil tanker remains berthed there."
The suspected oil tanker is reported to have been the only vessel at the terminal at the the time of the spill, which is reported to have caused pollution across a 77 sq km area of the North Channel.
The vessel has since passed integrity checks with no leaks reported, while fuel samples from the vessel and the affected waters have been sent to the Chemistry Department in Petaling Jaya for analysis, with results expected Tuesday.
V. Sasedharan, COO of Penang Port Sdn Bhd (PPSB) said clean-up of the spill, which included PPSB, the Marine Department, the Department of Environment (DOE) and private bunkering companies, came to a conclusion at 2:55 p.m. on Sunday.
"We alerted the Marine Department and the Department of Environment (DoE) as soon as we found the oil slick.
"The vessel that was berthed at the time was told to stop delivery of fuel," he said when contacted.
While the PPSB says that Standard operating procedure (SOP) was followed in managing the spill, some have criticised the response to the spill.
"The Marine Department, who is in charge in cases of oil spills and other marine pollution in Malaysian waters, was not quick enough to come out with a contingency plan," said a source who was quoted in Malaysian news.
"It is regrettable that the spillage had reached Tier 2 level by the time a clean-up took place."
