Slow but steady progress in removing oil from Terra Nova wreck

Recovery efforts intensify as the Terra Nova oil spill presents ongoing maritime challenges and responses.

The Philippine Coast Guard and a local salvage firm are making steady, if slow, progress in extracting oil from the Terra Nova, a tanker that sank under severe weather conditions off Bataan last month.

The Terra Nova sank during Typhoon Gaemi on July 25 and now rests in the shallow waters of Manila Bay, near Limay. The vessel was carrying around 370,000 gallons of oil, with an unspecified amount having leaked from its holds into the surrounding water.

1.4 million litres of oil have been spilled after a ship sank in Manila Bay 😳

An oil tanker, the Terra Nova, capsized near the Philippine coast, causing a major oil spill and resulting in the death of one crew member. The Philippine coastguards have rescued 16 crew members and… pic.twitter.com/ZykdNcx2wD
— MariTimesCrimes (@MaritimesCrimes) July 29, 2024

By August 19, the salvage company Harbor Star had managed to pump out approximately 11,000 liters of oil from the ship’s tanks using hot-tapping techniques, including 2,500 liters on Monday alone. To expedite the process, the company has deployed an additional pressure pump.

Ongoing monitoring and sampling around the wreck have detected minimal new spills, except for a small sheen near the salvage barge. Shoreline oiling has mostly cleared up, and the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has confirmed that seafood from the area is now safe to consume.

The Terra Nova’s owners have committed to compensating those affected by the spill, as stated by Philippine Department of Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez. “Inspired by the Mindoro oil spill [MT Princess Empress], we’re pleased to report that the Terra Nova’s owner, its insurer, and the IOPC Funds have promptly come forward,” he told the Manila Times. The provincial government of Cavite, which has been hit hardest in terms of fishing impacts, is requesting 10 million Philippine pesos (about $180,000) in compensation.

A team of seven experts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Coast Guard has completed its technical support mission and is heading back to the United States. NOAA’s modeling tools were used by Philippine officials to forecast the movement of the oil slicks.

Salvage efforts are also underway for two smaller tankers, the Jason Bradley and the Mirola 1, which sank shortly after the Terra Nova. Current work is focused on sealing the tanks and voids to prevent any further oil leakage.