Oil is leaking from the Gulfstream barge that capsized off the coast of Tobago, authorities there announced on Wednesday. An emergency meeting confirmed reports of “large hydrocarbon deposits drifting away from the Gulfstream vessel near Cove,” a release from the Office of the Chief Secretary, Tobago House of Assembly outlined.
But thankfully, the leaks are not expected to cause any damage.
“Preliminary reconnaissance indicates that there is currently no imminent threat to the coastline,” the statement read.
The meeting, held on June 12, 2024, included officials from the Tobago House of Assembly, the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries, the Environmental Management Authority (EMA), THA’s Department of Marine Affairs, the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard, and the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM).
“It is believed that the existing weather and sea conditions including high tides and high wave swells have disturbed the vessel, resulting in the hydrocarbon deposits,” the statement added.
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The barge and a tug “Solo Creed” were involved in a spill on the country’s coastline back in February. The incident, initially reported on February 7 by the country’s emergency response agency, raised concerns about environmental damage and risks to both beachgoers and wildlife. The spill impacted many of Tobago’s southern beaches.
The Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries (MEEI) said it continues to manage operations for the de-inventory of hydrocarbons from the capsized vessel off the coast of Cove, Tobago. The de-inventory process involves pumping hydrocarbons from the cargo tanks on the vessel to a temporary storage location at Cove. Tanker trucks then transport the hydrocarbons to the Port of Scarborough, where it is transferred to a bunkering vessel. This vessel then journeys to Pointe-a-Pierre, Trinidad, where the hydrocarbons will be offloaded and stored.
Efforts to ascertain the owners of both vessels are still ongoing.
