Tanker carrying 1.4 million liters of oil sinks in Manila Bay

MANILA, Philippines —  In what could become the worst oil spill incident in Philippine history, a motor tanker carrying 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel sank off the waters of Bataan yesterday.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) dispatched three vessels and its marine environment protection unit as MT Terra Nova capsized and eventually submerged 3.6 nautical miles off Lamao Point in Limay, Bataan.

Of the 17 crew aboard Terra Nova, all were rescued except the second mate, according to PCG spokesman Rear Admiral Armand Balilo.

BRP Melchora Aquino, the PCG’s 44-meter multi-role response vessel (MRRV), found the body of the missing crew member.

PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan ordered the deployment of two other MRRVs to augment the ongoing oil spill response operations.

“These vessels will start the application of oil dispersants to immediately mitigate the impact, especially during the period where siphoning is being prepared,” Gavan explained.

Ten rescued crew members are aboard Melchora Aquino, two are at the PCG’s Limay station in Bataan and four are in a hospital for minor injuries.

The PCG coordinated with the local government units of Bataan. A notice to mariners has been issued warning ships to avoid the area.

An aerial survey showed the Terra Nova’s working fuel leaking, measured at two nautical miles spreading east to northeast.

Balilo gave assurance that the working fuel was only a small quantity and the diesel component would not be much of a problem as it evaporates.

The fuel oil cargo inside the submerged tanker could pose a danger to the marine environment if its containers are damaged and contents are leaked into Manila Bay.

Balilo explained that Terra Nova’s location is still part of Manila Bay.

He did not discount the possibility that if large quantities of industrial fuel were released into the water, it could reach the shores of Manila.

Asked what could be the worst-case scenario, he said that it was difficult to speculate “but we are preparing for the worst because this is an oil spill, this is industrial fuel. Just like the one that hit Mindoro, it will definitely affect the marine environment and it is possible that it could reach Manila.”

When MT Princess Empress sank in Oriental Mindoro in February 2023, Balilo recalled that it carried 800,000 liters of industrial fuel, which is around half of Terra Nova’s 1.4 million liters.

The Bataan oil spill could become the worst oil spill incident in Philippine history after Guimaras in 2006, wherein a tanker carrying 2.4 million liters of oil sank during a storm.

Balilo assured the public that they are doing their best to prevent a massive oil spill.

“The vessel sank 34 meters deep, which is considerably shallow. Siphoning will not be very technical and can be done quickly to protect the vicinity waters of Bataan and Manila Bay against environmental, social, economic, financial and political impacts,” he said.

“The PCG sets an operational target of seven days to finish siphoning the oil from the sunken tanker to stop further spread,” Gavan said.

The 65-meter Terra Nova reportedly owned by Shogu Ships Co. Inc. left Bataan at around 1 a.m. yesterday on its way to Iloilo when it encountered bad weather.

“There is no sign that the cargo of the tanker has leaked. We need to check the plan/design of the ship to know how secure is the water integrity of the tanks,” Balilo said.

Authorities are also checking the claimed weather disturbance since there was no reported Philippine storm warning signal at the time of the incident, Balilo noted.

Aside from the Melchora Aquino, PCG personnel from the Limay sub-station are also in the area and would be augmented by a team from Navotas, Bulacan and Pampanga sent by the PCG District National Capital Region-Central Luzon.

The PCG is working with oil spill response organizations. Oil firm Petron, the PCG Auxiliary and local government units also volunteered to help.

Balilo said operations will be conducted as per the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan — an interagency and public-private partnership approach in combating oil spills — headed by Vice Admiral Roy Echeverria, commander of the PCG Marine Environmental Protection Command.

Locate, map the oil spill

Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga yesterday ordered the deployment of a survey vessel to locate Terra Nova.

“The immediate need is to determine the location of the vessel and its structural condition for us to understand and anticipate the dispersion of the oil,” Loyzaga said after inspecting the oil spill.

“The second part of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)’s work is ecosystem protection. This means the mapping of the ecosystems reached by the spill and thedetermination of contamination of water sources once we have located the vessel,” she added.

BRP Hydrographer Presbitero will be tapped to locate Terra Nova.

The DENR is coordinating with the UP Marine Science Institute to model the possible dispersion of Terra Nova’s fuel and its cargo should leakages occur.

“The role of the DENR in the response is to minimize environmental damage, protect marine ecosystems and public health, and facilitate the recovery and restoration of affected coastal areas,” the agency earlier said in a statement.

‘Ticking time bomb’

The Terra Nova endangers the municipality of Limay and other areas affected by the southwest monsoon and Typhoon Carina, environmental group Greenpeace said yesterday.

“The sunken tanker MT Terra Nova is a ticking time bomb that further imperils the health, safety and livelihoods of coastal communities around Manila Bay. Communities are still reeling from the impacts of Typhoon Carina. Now we’re facing another crisis with this oil spill near Limay, Bataan,” said Greenpeace climate campaigner Jefferson Chua.

The owners of Terra Nova and its cargo should “foot the bill for any environmental damage this may cause and provide compensation to the communities affected,” Chua said.

“President Marcos must also call for payment from fossil fuel companies for losses and damages suffered by Filipino communities,” he added.

Environmental impact

President Marcos yesterday ordered the DENR to determine the environmental impact of the oil spill in Bataan.

“What we need to assess is... where is the capsized vessel? The fuel that’s being released... What are the tides? What are the winds? Where is it headed?” Marcos said.

“The Department of Science and Technology maybe can also make some determinations on that,” he added.

The PCG reported three to four meters of wave height, he noted.

“Hopefully that will help us dilute the oil spill,” Marcos said. — Bella Cariaso, Alexis Romero, Ric Sapnu