EMEA News
Rotterdam Bunker Spill Update: Closures Remain in Place, Clean Up Could Take Weeks
Clean up operations following a Saturday bunker spill in Rotterdam waters could take weeks to complete, authorities said today.
In an update provided by the Port of Rotterdam today, the port detailed extensive cleanup activities that are taking place including the use of six special cleaning vessels.
Some 217 metric tonnes of HFO was spilled in totall, which as of 1pm today local time, around 100 tonnes is reported to have been cleared.
A ship wash facility has been also been operational in the Geulhaven to clean more than 50 affected inland vessels. Three ships have already been cleaned, the port added.
The ship wash facility for sea-going vessels will be opened at buoy 66 in the Botlek area and will clean 15 contaminated ships.
"Once the port water and the ships have been cleaned, the cleaning of the contaminated port infrastructure, such as the jetties, the embankments, quays and the slopes will be tackled," the port said, adding that it was expected to to take "at least several weeks" to complete.
While oil booms has been placed to contain the spill, oil is understood to have spread beyond the immediate incident area.
"As a result, the oil has sadly hit the waterfowl in the polluted area. [Rijkswaterstaat] is also coordinating the job of rescuing and cleaning of oil-soaked birds with Dierenambulance (animal rescue) and Vogelbescherming (bird protection), for which a national unit has been deployed," the port said.
The 3rd Petroleumhaven and Geulhaven have been closed off to traffic since the weekend and as at 1pm local time today sailing into and out of the 3rd Petroleumhaven and Geulhaven is only allowed with the permission of the Harbour Master.
As Ship & Bunker reported earlier, the June 23 incident was said to have happened at approximately 13:40 local time at Botlek terminal, after Odfjell's 37,499 dwt chemical tanker Bow Jubail made contact with the jetty and ruptured its hull.
The Port of Rotterdam Authority says it is holding the owner of the tanker liable.
