Oil pumping operations to remove fuel on a bulk carrier grounded off the Gibraltar coast have been stepped up as traces of fuel oil were found on nearby beaches.
There are now two oil prevention booms around the 35,362-dwt OS 35 (built 1999) to prevent a free-floating sheen from spreading to the shore.
Small amounts of oil have been found on two beaches. Patches of thick oil were found at Gorham’s Cave and some oily material at the northern end of Rosia Bay.
A boom has been placed around Catalan Bay to protect the area closest to the grounded bulker.
Worsening weather with high winds has affected the performance of the booms.
The Gibraltar government said operations to remove fuel from the OS 35 are “progressing positively”.
The oil removal is focused on tank number one, which contains around 80 tonnes of fuel and has a small rupture. The engine room lube oil tanks have now been fully emptied.
There has been some water ingress into the main engine room.
Salvors are on board removing other potential contaminants.
“It is important that salvage teams take advantage of every available minute of the good weather for this and thereby avoid as much contamination as possible if the weather turns,” the Gibraltar government said.
It said salvors are working “around the clock”.
A local catamaran is being used to help clear up oil that has escaped the booms. Additional oil pollution prevention equipment sent from the UK was due to arrive in Gibraltar this weekend.
Last week, the Tuvalu-registered OS 35 hit the 162,000-cbm LNG carrier Adam LNG (built 2014), which was at anchor, as it left Gibraltar. Pilots grounded the bulker to prevent it from sinking.
The Gibraltar government has appointed an experienced UK accident investigator.
The investigator’s report will analyse the relevant safety issues and make recommendations aimed at preventing similar accidents in the future.
