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Malaysia: No signs of bunker spill at Perak waters

30 Jul 2018

Signs of an oil spill off the coast of Perak have not been spotted by local maritime authorities over the weekend as the material could have simply evaporated, they suggest.

Hong Kong cargo vessel Xin Yi Yi reportedly sank off south Penang, Malaysia after hitting an underwater wreck on 26 July.

“The vessel used marine gas oil (MGO), which is very thin and leaves a thin sheen over the water, which then usually evaporates when there is good weather,” Northern Region Marine Department director Kapt Abdul Samad Shaik Osman told The Star.

“We are continuously monitoring the vessel. We suspect that most of the oil spill has evaporated as there is no more sign of oil leaking out.

“Although we have equipment that can be used to remove the oil, there is no point in sending it out as there are only small patches of thin oil layers. It will evaporate in good weather.”

V. Sasedharan, the acting CEO of Penang Port Sdn Bhd, meanwhile says the firm has arranged for an emergency crew to be positioned near the wreck in the event of a spill after the accident.

“We stood down once we were informed by the Marine Depart­ment that the situation was under control,” he said while similarly suggesting the MGO could have been dissolved into surrounding waters.

The owner of the vessel will be required to remove the vessel within 14 days.

Related: Malaysia: Bunker spill heading towards Perak state

Photo credit: MMEA
Published: 30 July 2018

 

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