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About 30 pieces of sorbent booms used in the Guimaras clean-up
efforts were recovered at the pier of Oroquieta City, Misamis Occidental today.
A total of 50 3-meter sorbent booms were reportedly loaded on Barge Ras, which
sank about 5 kilometers northeast of Plaridel on the night of November 20.
Oroquieta is 22 kilometers south of Plaridel.
The barge, which is
owned and operated by Harbor Star, was contracted to ship out debris from the Solar 1
oil spill and bring it to Holcim Cement for treatment and disposal. According to the
press release issued by Harbor Star, they were ‘collectively contracted by the P&I Club,
International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Ltd., and the International Oil Spill
Compensation Fund.’
“Regardless
of who owns the barge or who chartered it, Petron personnel are already in the field to do
what is needed and minimize any impact that may arise from this incident,”
Petron Health, Safety and Environment Manager Carlos V. Tan said.
“We wish to assure
the local populace that the used sorbent booms are designed to keep the absorbed oil in. In fact,
not even traces of oily sheen were detected as the sorbent booms were recovered,” Tan added.
Tan added that Petron
personnel are conducting surveys along the eastern Misamis Occidental shoreline to assess if there
is any potential damage. However, he stressed that the trace amount of oil contained in the cargo
has been weathering for three months and is highly unlikely to pose a danger to communities,
shorelines or marine life.
The composition of the debris
being carried by Ras is mostly sand and rocks contained in sacks.
Petron Corporation said
that it had already mobilized Waterborne Industry Spill Response (WISE) equipment to the area to prepare
for any contingency. The Company is also closely coordinating with provincial and local officials
in connection with the incident.
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