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Local News|
Thursday, September 22, 2005 - Web posted at 7:30:09 GMT Most of Walvis oil spill cleaned up * ELMA ROBBERTSTWENTY per cent of the oil spilled in Walvis Bay Harbour when two ships collided last weekend still has to be cleaned up. |
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This is expected to be done in the next two to three weeks if good weather prevails, according to a spokesman for the Namibian Ports Authority (NamPort). Eighty cubic metres of heavy fuel oil and marine diesel oil have successfully been recovered from the sea. According to a marine researcher at Swakopmund, the remaining oil pollution is more difficult to clean up, since the oil is spread in a thin layer on top of the water. A larger percentage of water is now being sucked up along with the oil. At the oyster farm Beira Aquaculture and Walvis Bay Salt Refiners near the harbour, executives are satisfied that their businesses aren't under immediate threat from the oil spill. NamPort authorities yesterday said the cause of the accident has not been determined because an investigating team is yet to be announced by the Directorate of Maritime Affairs. South African company Smit Salvage has been appointed to salvage the remaining 121 containers on board the cargo ship MV Umfulozi. The containers are believed to hold products such as copper, salt, plastics, granite, hunting trophies and fishmeal. Thirty-five of the containers are empty. Salvaging is expected to last about four weeks. The Umfulozi is sitting on the seabed in the harbour, in 10,6 metres of water. Because the water is so shallow, the ship did not sink completely and could be berthed and stabilised to prevent it from capsizing. The Umfulozi, carrying some 335 tonnes of fuel oil, collided with a dredger of the South African Ports Authority, the Ingwenya, around midnight on Friday. |
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