An oil-removal operation was yesterday completed at a grounded ship in waters off Penghu, the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) said, although it added that oil leaking from another stranded ship off New Taipei City’s Shimen District (石門) has spread to Jinshan District (金山).
The pumping operation was finished at a cargo ship from Niue on Saturday, 38 days after the vessel ran aground off the outlying island on Feb. 25.
A total of 138m3 of diesel, lubricating oil and hydraulic fluids were removed from the ship, which was confirmed by third-party inspection company China Marine Surveyors and Sworn Measurers.
The removal operation, which began on March 17, was only able to be conducted for about seven days due to adverse weather conditions. The operation was suspended on March 19 until it was resumed on Wednesday last week.
A small amount of oil was discovered leaking from the ship by a local environmental organization last month, but no oil spill incident was reported.
The ship is to be removed — either towed away or disassembled — under the supervision of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, and the administration is to continue monitoring the local sea environment.
Oil leaking from the cargo ship stranded off New Taipei City, which began leaking fuel on March 24, has reportedly spread to Huangkang (磺港), a fishing harbor in Jinshan about 13km from where the ship ran aground, according to media reports on Saturday that showed photographs of oil floating on water near the harbor.
The administration said satellite images captured yesterday showed oil floating on water 4km to 5km north of Huangkang, with the agency saying it asked the coast guard to send patrol vessels to the scene to assess the scope and degree of the pollution.
Images from a surveillance drone showed that oil has continued to leak from the point where the ship split, and spills are spreading eastward.
Five fishing vessels were sent to clean up oil spills near the grounded ship and containers on the ship are being removed, the agency said.
Government agencies are making plans to remove oil remaining on the boat, although the administration previously estimated the removal operation would be finished by Friday last week at the earliest.
Decontamination works were completed at Baishawan (白沙灣), Laomei Park (老梅綠石槽), Yehliu Geopark and a beach near Shueiwei Harbor (水尾漁港) in Jinshan.
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