The fallout from the sinking of an oil tanker in Philippine waters has exposed cracks in the country’s efforts to bring its maritime industry up to global standards.
It has also prompted new calls to protect a crucial area of marine biodiversity from oil tanker traffic.
The tanker Princess Empress was carrying about 800,000 liters of industrial fuel on February 28 when it suffered engine problems and sank off the east coast of Mindoro Island in the Philippines.
The resulting oil spill led to a fishing ban in the affected areas, which continues to disrupt the livelihoods of the people of Mindoro.
PROTECTION OF THE KEY WATERWAY
The Verde Island Passage, or VIP, provides food for more than 2 million people and is considered “the center of marine coastal fish biodiversity.”
With the crucial marine corridor located dangerously close to the source of the spill, demands have resurfaced for oil tankers to steer clear of VIP, with advocates pushing for only fishing and passenger vessels to be allowed through the waterway.
VIP “is not a simple highway for ships with toxic cargo,” but is “home to a complex and beautiful ecosystem that produces fish for our plates and attracts tourists by the thousands,” says a statement from the humanitarian group Social the Catholic Church. Action Network.
Oil tanker traffic is only likely to increase if fossil fuel project development is not halted in the area, advocates say.
The strait has become the country’s “unfortunate epicenter of gas development,” said award-winning environmentalist Father Edwin Gariguez, coordinator of the advocacy group Protect VIP.
He added that there are five fossil gas plants operating in Batangas, the starting point in Mindoro Island.
The Philippines is an archipelago of over 7,000 islands and relies heavily on maritime transport for mobility and connectivity. More than a hundred national seaports play a central role in the daily movement of people and goods.
MARITIME CONTROL GAPS
The tanker Princess Empress is now half empty but continues to leak industrial fuel into the ocean a month after its accident.
It was found submerged at a depth of 400 meters below sea level three weeks after sinking.
A Senate investigation revealed that the entire region around the island of Mindoro is not equipped to handle the treatment and storage of oil waste collected from clean-up operations. This means that the waste would have to be transported off the island.
Malayan Towage & Salvage Corporation, the private contractor selected for offshore cleanup operations, is the oil spill response provider for the country’s oil industry. Roger Padsoyan, the company’s lead coordinator in the ongoing cleanup, told CNA that the collected oil mixture should be transported to a treatment facility in Bulacan province, closer to the capital Manila.
The collected oil should first reach 30,000 liters before it can be transported to maximize logistical efficiency. At the moment, a third of the amount has been reached.
More alarmingly, the Senate court’s investigation revealed that the Princess Empress did not have the necessary permit to operate the cargo ship, even though she made nine voyages before her accident.
OFFSHORE CLEANING
Private contractors, such as Malayan Towage & Salvage Corporation, were hired by the ship owner through their insurance to clean up after the spill.
At the site of the sunken vessel, an oil dispersant is being poured every day, while two tugboats collect an oily water mixture, with a Philippine Coast Guard vessel in the vicinity.
One of the tugboats arrives at the port of Calapan City, the commercial center of Mindoro Island, at 5pm every day. As part of its due diligence, Malayan Towage & Salvage Corporation tests the effectiveness of the dispersant to be used.
He also asked for outside help to extract oil from the submerged Princess Empress 400m down, as he did not have the technology to do so.
“In terms of emergency response, we alone cannot address the whole problem. That’s why there are some technical issues that we also need to consider,” Padsoyan told CNA.
“We have also sought help or support from other foreign companies that are also dedicated to this type of service,” he added.
The transfer of oil debris from the tugboats to the trucks on land is overseen by representatives of various government agencies, all aware that there is a long way to go in the cleanup operations.
EFFECT ON MARINE LIFE
Beyond the VIP, the areas affected by the spill also contribute greatly to marine biodiversity.
The coastal city of Pola on the island of Mindoro, home to beautiful pristine beaches and at least seven marine protected areas, remains one of the hardest hit areas.
Dark rocks line the hard-hit shores of a Pola village called Buhay Na Tubig, which means “living water” in English.
The oil spill has made it harder for the marine paradise to live up to its name.
Dr. Hernando Bacosa, who has studied the effect of oil spills in the ocean, said oil tests and more data are needed to study the effect of the Princess Empress oil spill.
An oil spill could “alter the microbial activity in the ocean” that can have a long-term impact on the fish harvest, Bacosa recently explained at a public forum.
Among others, the possible effects of an oil spill could include harmful algal blooms and a dramatic decrease in the photosynthetic activity of so-called phytoplankton, the base of aquatic food chains.
Less phytoplankton can lead to a loss of food for small or larval fish, he said.
Six fishing sanctuaries and a marine reserve of nearly 600 hectares are located in Pola, where dangerous activities, such as some types of fishing, are limited or prohibited.
Protected by law, these areas are guarded by the Maritime Patrol or Bantay Dagat, a task force in Philippine coastal communities.
“We protect coastal waters against violators,” said fisherman Ricardo Villanueva, who heads the group in Pola.
Mr. Villanueva fears oil grease could cover corals inside the sanctuaries, as oil spills can reach shores at high tide and then cover areas of sea grass at low tide.
“I hope the coastal cleanup will speed up, so we can recover from this tragedy in our seas,” Villanueva said.
COAST CLEANING
On the shores of the affected villages, 20 inhabitants per village are taken advantage of to collect oil sludge for four hours daily starting at 6 am, earning a little less than US$7.
Jeffrey Sanchez, a 35-year-old father of two who volunteered and was selected for the program, told CNA, “Since we don’t have jobs at sea (as fishermen), I volunteered for the oil cleanup. We lost our livelihood with the fishing ban.”
Daily shoreline cleanup hours are limited, stopping at 10 a.m. to prevent heat-related illnesses among workers, which affects the speed of cleanup efforts.
Health officials screen workers before heading to cleaning sites, as many of the areas are only accessible on foot.
Oil mixtures collected from the shores are stored in large dark blue container drums, then sealed and stored in the community before being collected by a subcontractor.
Philippine Coast Guard teams with clear lines of command are deployed to each affected village, with daily coastal assessments.
Foreign aid in clean-up operations has also been crucial.
Spill booms have also been installed as barriers to prevent floating oil from reaching other areas, and have been placed even in towns not yet reached by the oil spill, such as as a preventive measure.
A lack of resources has seen alternative spill booms constructed from materials such as bamboo sticks, plastic bottles, coconut tree leaves and shells.
The Mindoro community is taking it one day at a time, with uncertainty over how much longer their lives will be disrupted due to the ongoing aftermath of the oil tanker sinking.
Source: CNA
