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Philippines
PCG raises oil spill response to highest level; 'bagging' operation may start this week
Philippines
PCG raises oil spill response to highest level; 'bagging' operation may start this week
PCG raises oil spill response to highest level; 'bagging' operation may start this week
Published Mar 27, 2023 07:06 am
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) confirmed Monday, March 27, that the oil spill response in Oriental Mindoro has been elevated to “Tier 3,” the highest level under its National Oil Spill Contingency Plan (NOSCP) as “bagging” operation to contain the leakage is seen to start this week.
Adm. Artemio Abu, PCG Commandant, said raising the response to the highest level would further intensify the coordination of national and local government agencies as well as the international community to contain the oil spill.
“Dineclare natin na it’s a Tier 3 response, in-elevate natin. In the beginning, Tier 2 tayo because the volume of the oil was below one million [liters] (We declared that it’s a Tier 3 response, we elevated it. In the beginning, we only had Tier 2 because the volume of the oil was below one million),” Abu said.
“Tapos nakita natin dumarating na ‘yung assistance from neighboring countries so in-elevate natin sa Tier 3. Mas maganda ‘yun para mas lalong mapaigting ang coordination, communication, and support of other countries (Then we saw that the neighboring countries have started sending their assistance so we elevated it to Tier 3. It’s much better because we can intensify the coordination, communication, and support of other countries),” he added.
In the event of an oil spill, the PCG follows the NOSCP “to provide a coordinated and integrated response mechanism” for its cleanup efforts. The level of response is referred to as “tiers” which vary depending on the magnitude of the oil spill. The volume of spilt oil corresponds to the tiers: Tier 1 is implemented if the spill involves one liter to 10,000 liters; Tier 2 for 10,001 liters to one million liters; and Tier 3 for more than one million liters.
According to the NOSCP, a Tier 1 response is made for oil spill that are generally small in magnitude and affecting only a local area which means that it may be dealt with by the individual operator or “spiller.”
Under a Tier 2 spill, the response extends outside the limit of the Tier 1 response as it is larger in magnitude and “needs additional resources from a variety of potential sources from stakeholders involved.”
The highest level, Tier 3, is made for a spill that calls for further substantial resources from a range of national and international response due to its scale and likelihood to cause major impacts.
Vice Adm. Rolando Lizor Punzalan Jr., head of the Crisis Management Committee and PCG deputy commandant for operations, said that the “most effective” method to drain the leaking oil from the sunken motor tanker (MT) Princess Empress is through a bagging operation. The vessel capsized on Feb. 28 off Naujan, Oriental Mindoro while carrying 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil.
Through this method, a specialized bag will be used to cover the ship and catch the leaking oil from the 23 cracks found on the vessel’s surface, Punzalan explained.
“May bag na ipapatong sa kanya nang sa gayon, ang langis ay mahuhuli ng bag na ito. Habang napupuno, unti-unti ring lumalabas ang tubig-dagat (It [vessel] will be covered by a bag so that the oil will be caught by this bag. As it fills, the sea water will slowly come out),” he said.
Punzalan said the bagging operation might start this week as the P&I (Protection and Indemnity) Club, the insurance company of the owner of the MT Princess Empress, RDC Reield Marine Services, Inc., has started acquiring the specialized bags from its source.
“According to a representative of Protection and Indemnity ‘yung insurance, darating siya on Thursday [March 30] (According to a representative of Protection and Indemnity, the insurance, it [specialized bags] will arrive on Thursday),” he said.
Aside from bagging operation, the PCG is also waiting for the availability of a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) or an underwater robot that could siphon the oil leaks.
“It will depend on the immediate availability of the ROV that has highly technical expertise to address it. But don’t worry, we have sent a very strong message that there is indeed an extent of urgency sabi nga natin kung sino magpo-provide, saang bansa ‘yan (like what we have said, as to who will provide it, or whatever country it will come from),” Abu stated.
The PCG previously said that the United States Coast Guard has offered the availability of an ROV from its US Marines which has the capability to drain the leaking fuel from MT Princess Empress.
Adm. Artemio Abu, PCG Commandant, said raising the response to the highest level would further intensify the coordination of national and local government agencies as well as the international community to contain the oil spill.
“Dineclare natin na it’s a Tier 3 response, in-elevate natin. In the beginning, Tier 2 tayo because the volume of the oil was below one million [liters] (We declared that it’s a Tier 3 response, we elevated it. In the beginning, we only had Tier 2 because the volume of the oil was below one million),” Abu said.
“Tapos nakita natin dumarating na ‘yung assistance from neighboring countries so in-elevate natin sa Tier 3. Mas maganda ‘yun para mas lalong mapaigting ang coordination, communication, and support of other countries (Then we saw that the neighboring countries have started sending their assistance so we elevated it to Tier 3. It’s much better because we can intensify the coordination, communication, and support of other countries),” he added.
In the event of an oil spill, the PCG follows the NOSCP “to provide a coordinated and integrated response mechanism” for its cleanup efforts. The level of response is referred to as “tiers” which vary depending on the magnitude of the oil spill. The volume of spilt oil corresponds to the tiers: Tier 1 is implemented if the spill involves one liter to 10,000 liters; Tier 2 for 10,001 liters to one million liters; and Tier 3 for more than one million liters.
According to the NOSCP, a Tier 1 response is made for oil spill that are generally small in magnitude and affecting only a local area which means that it may be dealt with by the individual operator or “spiller.”
Under a Tier 2 spill, the response extends outside the limit of the Tier 1 response as it is larger in magnitude and “needs additional resources from a variety of potential sources from stakeholders involved.”
The highest level, Tier 3, is made for a spill that calls for further substantial resources from a range of national and international response due to its scale and likelihood to cause major impacts.
Vice Adm. Rolando Lizor Punzalan Jr., head of the Crisis Management Committee and PCG deputy commandant for operations, said that the “most effective” method to drain the leaking oil from the sunken motor tanker (MT) Princess Empress is through a bagging operation. The vessel capsized on Feb. 28 off Naujan, Oriental Mindoro while carrying 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil.
Through this method, a specialized bag will be used to cover the ship and catch the leaking oil from the 23 cracks found on the vessel’s surface, Punzalan explained.
“May bag na ipapatong sa kanya nang sa gayon, ang langis ay mahuhuli ng bag na ito. Habang napupuno, unti-unti ring lumalabas ang tubig-dagat (It [vessel] will be covered by a bag so that the oil will be caught by this bag. As it fills, the sea water will slowly come out),” he said.
Punzalan said the bagging operation might start this week as the P&I (Protection and Indemnity) Club, the insurance company of the owner of the MT Princess Empress, RDC Reield Marine Services, Inc., has started acquiring the specialized bags from its source.
“According to a representative of Protection and Indemnity ‘yung insurance, darating siya on Thursday [March 30] (According to a representative of Protection and Indemnity, the insurance, it [specialized bags] will arrive on Thursday),” he said.
Aside from bagging operation, the PCG is also waiting for the availability of a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) or an underwater robot that could siphon the oil leaks.
“It will depend on the immediate availability of the ROV that has highly technical expertise to address it. But don’t worry, we have sent a very strong message that there is indeed an extent of urgency sabi nga natin kung sino magpo-provide, saang bansa ‘yan (like what we have said, as to who will provide it, or whatever country it will come from),” Abu stated.
The PCG previously said that the United States Coast Guard has offered the availability of an ROV from its US Marines which has the capability to drain the leaking fuel from MT Princess Empress.