PCG announces completion of underwater ROV operations in Oriental Mindoro
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Incident Management Team-Oriental Mindoro (IMT-OrMin) has announced the completion of underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) operations by Fukada Salvage and Marine Works and US Navy Supervisor of Salvage and Diving (USN SUPSALV) which were part of the mitigating efforts for the Oriental Mindoro oil spill.
On March 21, the Japanese Dynamic Positioning Vessel (DPV), Shin Nichi Maru, deployed ROV Hakuyo to conduct an underwater survey on the structural damages of the sunken MT Princess Empress.
During a meeting with PCG Crisis Management Committee Chairman, Coast Guard Vice Admiral Rolando Lizor Punzalan Jr and Oriental Mindoro Gov. Humerlito Dolor, the Waves Group Limited reported that the ROV found 24 sources of leakage.
DPV Shin Nichi Maru conducted a follow-up survey on April 1 and discovered that 11 out of 24 previously identified sources remain leaking.
On the same day, two sources of leaks (3rd Water Ballast Tank Air Vent starboard and 2nd Water Ballast Tank Air Vent starboard) were successfully capped using specialized bags from the United Kingdom.
Upon the arrival of the USN SUPSALV-contracted DPV Pacific Valkyrie in Calapan on April 2, its ROV MR2 Hydros conducted an underwater survey, cut off obstructive railings, and attached magnetic number markings on the tanks.
This allowed DPV Shin Nichi Maru to easily install specialized bags to cap the oil-leaking sections in the tanker temporarily.
However, the size of the available bags was unsuitable for capping other identified sources.
Hence, the UICP-OrMin sourced locally-made specialized bags from a golf bag manufacturing company in Silang, Cavite, with the assistance of Harbor Star Shipping Services Inc.
Upon delivering the 16 locally-made specialized bags, ROV Hakuyo successfully capped three oil sources (4th Pressure Relief Valve #1 starboard, 4th Pressure Relief Valve #2 portside, and 3rd Cargo Tank Stripping Valve #1 portside) on April 3.
Another three sources (4th Pressure Relief Valve #2 starboard, 3rd Cargo Tank Stripping Valve #2 portside, and 4th Pressure Relief Valve #1 portside) were contained on April 4.
DPV Shin Nichi Maru departed Calapan upon completing its mission on April 5, while Pacific Valkyrie left its operational area on April 7.
One remaining pressure valve producing a slow intermittent release of oil at the 2nd Pressure Valve portside was not capped due to obstructions that may compromise the ROV operations.
According to the Deep Ocean Search and Recovery under USN SUPSALV, one of the bags containing the oil leaking in the 4th Pressure Relief Valve #2 portside was already saturated. This finding was based on the last survey of ROV MR2 Hydros on April 6.
The UICP-OrMin is coordinating with the Protection & Indemnity (P&I) Club for the announcement of the contracted party to perform the hot tapping/siphoning of the remaining oil on board MT Princess Empress.
Incident Management Team in Oriental Mindoro Commander, CG Commodore Geronimo Tuvilla, said they would continue their efforts with partner agencies to intensify offshore and shoreline clean-up and assessment to reduce the environmental impact until the source of the spill is permanently addressed. PCG
