Tanker valve malfunction causes oil leak

MANILA, Philippines - A malfunction in the pipeline suction valve of a tanker caused some 210 liters of industrial fuel oil (IFO) to spill out into the waters of Bataan, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.

In a statement, Lt. Cmdr. Algier Ricafrente, PCG spokesman, said they learned about the malfunction on board M/T Malolos, owned and operated by the Herma Shipping and Transport Corp., last Sunday night.

The M/T Malolos, according to an initial report, was loading IFO at the Petron refinery in Limay town when one of its crewmen noticed that fuel was spilling and dripping overboard.  

The refinery’s terminal officer subsequently informed the PCG-Bataan station about the oil leak.

Men of the PCG Maritime Environment Protection Unit, accompanied by personnel of the PCG-Bataan station and divers from the Special Operations Group, went to the refinery’s pier in Barangay Lamao, Limay town to check the situation.

“Investigation revealed that the pipeline suction valve of M/T Malolos malfunctioned while loading IFO, causing oil from cargo oil tank number 5 starboard (right) side of the vessel to overflow. An estimated 210 liters of IFO eventually scattered on deck,” Ricafrente said.

The PCG said 210 liters is nearly equivalent to one drum.

To address the leak, the tanker’s crewmembers laid out two layers of oil spill booms to contain the oil in the water.

A tugboat, M/Tug Pandoy, then sprayed chemical dispersant to disperse oil that escaped from the oil spill boom.

The refinery also sent personnel to conduct an ocular inspection for possible traces of oil in the adjacent areas, but this yielded negative results.

The PCG-Bataan station also surveyed the area and did not find any traces of spilled oil.

The following day, the PCG again went around the area and found no traces of oil.