MT Terra Nova oil spill minimized — coast guard

Metro Manila, Philippines – Oil slick from a sunken tanker off Bataan at the weekend has been substantially minimized, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported on Monday, July 29

In a virtual briefing, Bataan Coast Guard Station Commander Michael John Encina said the spread of oil spill from MT Terra Nova off Limay town has been contained within a three-to-6.4-kilometer stretch, much smaller than the 12 to 14 kilometers at the weekend.

“The Philippine Coast Guard deployed additional floating assets. Nag-deploy tayo ng additional booms para mas ma-avert natin ‘yung spread ng oil spill na nadulot nitong paglubog ng Terra Nova,” Encina said.

[Translation: We deployed additional booms to avert the spread of the oil spill from the sunken Terra Nova.]

The coast guard said 14 of the vessel’s 24 valves were sealed, with the rest done within Monday. Once all valves are sealed, siphoning may begin on Tuesday at the earliest.

Encina said the coast guard is targeting to siphon 300,000 liters of industrial fuel oil to allow the tanker to refloat, and be towed near the shore for other operations to contain the damage.

“Daily siphoning procedure, ang kukunin nila dito is 50,000 liters a day. So, ‘yung duration ng siphoning will last for five to seven days. But safe to say ‘yung 10 days,” the commander said.

[Translation: For the daily siphoning procedure, they will get 50,000 liters a day. So, the duration of the siphoning will last for five to seven days. But safe to say 10 days.]

Based on coast guard monitoring, about one liter of oil has been leaking per hour.

Meanwhile, fisher group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said oil from the Terra Nova has reached waters off Cavite.

In a Facebook post on Monday, Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla warned coastal communities of Ternate, Maragondon, Naic, and Tanza will be affected by the oil slick.

The UP Marine Science Institute said in its forecast the spill may also reach Metro Manila on Tuesday.

“Dito lamang sa bayan ng Tanza, tinatayang mahigit 5,000 mangingisda ang maaapektuhan kung hindi agarang maaapula ang kumakalat na langis,” Pamalakaya vice chairperson Ronnel Arambulo said in a statement.

[Translation: Here in Tanza town, about 5,000 fishers will be affected if they cannot immediately contain the oil.]

Environmental group Greenpeace shared a drone photo of a supposed oil spill, saying that oil from the tanker has spread to the waters of Hagonoy, Bulacan.

“Filipino coastal communities are bracing for an imminent environmental disaster from the oil spill while still recovering from extreme floods due to [Typhoon Carina],” Greenpeace said on X.

The coast guard said it is verifying the reports.

It also launched the Intensified Community Assistance, Awareness, Response, and Enforcement Campaign Plan so communities and local government units can provide information when they observe an oil sheen or spill in their area.

On July 25, MT Terra Nova capsized and sank in waters off Limay, Bataan as it carried 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel.

NewsWatch Plus Correspondent Lance Mejico contributed to this report