Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 27) — A Chinese vessel transporting 55,000 metric tons of nickel ore to China ran aground off the coast of Guiuan, Eastern Samar last week, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported on Thursday.
It ran aground 2.7 nautical miles off Barangay Sulangan in Guiuan town at 6:10 p.m. on April 18. The ship with 20 Chinese crewmen aboard was carrying nickel ore from Homonhon Island, Eastern Samar to Caofeidian in China, the report said.
The affected local government unit, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and the PCG conducted an ocular inspection on the site on April 19.
The PCG, citing the crewmen, said the ship was not damaged and did not leak any of its contents into the surrounding waters.
The agency also said its Marine Environmental Protection Unit conducted a surface assessment and did not detect any traces of oil spill.
On April 22, the PCG launched a marine casualty investigation with the vessel’s captain, Jiang Shangjun.
A salvage team from Singapore is also set to conduct operations on the grounded vessel to transfer its cargo to a barge, while the PCG’s Sub-Station Guiuan will supervise to prevent possible oil spill.
The DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau will also evaluate the corals in the vicinity of the grounding to assess any damage to marine life.
Last January, the PCG rescued Chinese crewmen near Guiuan after the hull of their fishing vessel, KAI DA 899, was damaged. The crewmen turned out to be suspects in China.
