New Delhi: Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has deployed its ships and aircraft in the Bay of Bengal after mid-sea oil spill was reported from Haldia-bound Portuguese ship about 450 km South-East of Chennai.
ICG pollution response team at Chennai has been alerted and kept on standby, the Ministry of Defence said today in a statement.
In addition, ICG ships & aircraft deployed at sea are also put on alert in pollution response configuration, it said.
Indian Coast Guard (ICG) received information from Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Colombo in late hours of June 16, 2021, about a mid-sea oil spill about 450 kms South East of Chennai.
On further investigation, it was revealed that a Portuguese flag Container ship MV Devon, on passage from Colombo to Haldia, West Bengal, developed an underwater crack in the fuel tank containing about 120 KL of Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil, the Ministry said.
The crack resulted in spillage of about 10 KL of oil into the sea before preventive action was taken and remaining oil in tank was transferred to another tank by the ship’s crew.
“The vessel is carrying 10,795 tonnes of general cargo in 382 containers and manned by 17 crew,” it said.
The ship is continuing its voyage to Haldia and likely to reach on June 18, 2021.
The ICG is in continuous contact with MV Devon and the master has reported that the vessel is stable, the Ministry added.
