Good progress being made with bulk carrier NS Qingdao salvage operation at the Port of Saldanha Bay.
Anton Bredell, Western Cape Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning was yesterday briefed on the current situation of the NS Qingdao bulk cargo ship which is currently off-loading contaminated cargo at the Port of Saldanha on the West Coast.
As of the 15th of February, a total of 152 skips, each containing 5 tons of waste material, has been disposed of at the Vissershok High Hazardous Waste Management Site. A small amount of contaminated water was recovered from the affected cargo hold, and this has also been analysed and disposed of at Vissershok. “The salvage operation of the contaminated chemical cargo from the NS Qingdao at the Port of Saldanha Bay is progressing in a safe and well-coordinated manner,” Bredell said.
Early in January the NS Quindao was authorised by the National Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) and the South African Maritime Safety Authorities (SAMSA) to commence with a controlled dumping of unstable chemical cargo 250km off the West Coast of South Africa in 3000m deep water. This was done to protect the integrity of the ship, and to prevent a full-scale disaster where the ship might have broken up due to an onboard fire, potentially polluting our coastline with its cargo as well as the fuel it carried.
Approximately 1450 tons of cargo was dumped during the offshore exercise, assisting in bringing the onboard fire under control. The emergency has since been downscaled from a Severe Maritime Emergency to a salvage operation that can be safely managed in port.
Bredell said he is pleased with the excellent cooperation between the various role players in managing the situation. These include the National Department of Forestry Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), Transnet National Ports Authorities, and the commercial owners of the affected ship.
The Western Cape Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning has been part of the Joint Operations Committee from the start of the operation as early as December 2021 when the cargo became unstable, and the ship had to be towed out to sea.
The decision to bring the vessel back to harbour in late January was taken by SAMSA and supported by DFFE representatives, who conducted a vessel inspection offshore to determine whether it was safe to do so and after reviewing reports from the Chemical and Fire specialists onboard. Transnet National Port Authority has provided a berth for the vessel when it was convinced of the safety condition of the vessel to dock in the port.
Bredell said that the National Environmental Management Act, as well as the National Environmental Management: Waste Act, are applicable, and as such the Provincial Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning has a supporting and oversight role to play. “We want to be sure that all safety protocols are being adhered to, and that the salvage operation is done in a safe and responsible manner.”
Bredell said he is pleased to note that SAMSA and the DFFE are in discussions with the vessel’s owners and insurers to arrange a medium to long term environmental monitoring program so that any potential future impacts can be managed.
The DFFE has initiated an Environmental Impact Study on the ocean dumping aspect of the operation. This includes the development of drift models and sample collection in the affected area. Satellite monitoring of the ocean will continue to develop a clear understanding of the potential impact the dumping might have had on the environment. Toxicology testing will be conducted on endemic mussel species, and any suspect marine life that washes up on the beach will be send for autopsies with a state veterinarian.
The cause of the incident is still under investigation and a chemical analysis of the cargo is being conducted to determine the underlying factors for the fire and whether the vessel had any undeclared cargo in the hold.
The salvage operation is expected to continue for the rest of February into March, before the vessel is set to sail for its destination in Brazil.
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Contact:
Wouter Kriel
Spokesperson for Minister Anton Bredell
Western Cape Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
079 694 3085