Nassau, Bahamas - The Ministry of Transport wishes to update the general
public on the status of the oil spill by the cargo ship, the MV Eugenia that
took place off the coast of Grand Bahama on Monday the 3rd December
2012.
Several agencies have conducted multiple aerial
assessments of the site of the oil spill and surrounding areas since the spill
and to date there is no evidence of environmental contamination at the port of
Freeport or surrounding coastlines. The agencies involved are the National Oil Spill
Committee, the United States Coast Guard, the International Tanker Owner Federation
(ITOPF) and oil spill responders.
The last aerial surveillance involving the Ministry of
Transport and Aviation took place on Friday, 7th December 2012.
The
agencies Involved in this operation are as follow:
·
Bahamas Maritime Authority
·
Ministry of Transport and Aviation – Bahamas
Port Department
·
Department of Environmental Health
·
National Oil Spill Committee
·
Panama Maritime Authority - Panama
·
United States Coast Guard – United States
·
Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC)
·
Freeport Harbour Company
·
United Kingdom Protection and Indemnity;
·
Bureau VERITAS (Classification Society)
·
Response Corporation- Salvage Contractor
·
Mediterranean Shipping Lines
·
Buena Veritas
·
United Kingdom Protection and Indemnity
Club.
·
The International Tanker Owner Federation
(ITOPF)
Our continued monitoring of this situation did discover a
small amount of tar balls on Coral Beach which was immediately cleaned up. This
discovery represents minimal environmental impact thus far and a joint team
from the Port Department and the Department of Environmental Health Services remain
in place to continue to monitor the area.
As for the damaged vessel, the M/V Eugenia, a double
hulled vessel, safely shifted without incident from its present berth at the
Freeport Container Port to the Grand Bahama Shipyard where the necessary
repairs will be conducted and the berth at the Container Port is presently
being prepared for a return full operational service .
As previously stated an active investigation is underway
and periodic updates will be provided as circumstances warrant until the
completion of this investigation.
