Asia/Pacific News
TS Taipei Debunkering Efforts Continue Amid Fears the Ship May Capsize, More Bunkers to Spill
Debunkering efforts continue for the TS Taipei, which grounded off Shimen, Taiwan last month, causing a large bunker spill after the vessel fractured in the middle, IHS Fairplay reports.
As Ship & Bunker previously reported, some of the bunkers are said to have been removed from the vessel prior to the spill, but around 200 metric tonnes (mt) of fuel were said to be onboard at the time of the break up.
"The ship has fractured down the middle and could capsize at any time," stated the Taiwan's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
"If it capsizes, the remaining fuel could leak out and the cargo containers will fall into the sea, affecting the local coastline and ocean habitat."
Although previous reports stated that the vessel had already broken in half, should the 1,530 TEU vessel give way to the split and capsize, it is said to be feared that some 70 mt of lubricants and waste oils could spill into the waters, along with the remaining 200 mt of bunkers.
In addition to pollution mitigation efforts, eight containers of hazardous chemicals onboard the vessel are set for removal by April 3, with previous efforts to retrieve 614 TEU of cargo onboard the ship reported to have been hampered due to rough seas.
It is reported that beaches in the area have been coated with spilled bunkers from the TS Taipei, although TS Lines expressed confidence that current improved weather conditions means that there is no immediate threat of the ship separating, lessening the extent of environmental damage.
Earlier this month, Ship & Bunker reported that two people were killed during a pollution mitigation operation in Taiwan after the TS Taipei ran aground on a shallow reef about 300 metres off the shore of New Taipei.
