The recent news surrounding the Japanese bulk-carrier ship MV Wakashio has garnered significant attention. The ship, which was transporting fuel oil, has broken into two pieces near the Blue Bay Marine Park in southeast Mauritius. Prior to its destruction, the ship was already leaking and has resulted in an oil spill exceeding 1000 tonnes in the Indian Ocean.
Key Points
The MV Wakashio parted near Pointe d’Esny in Mauritius. This zone is recognized for its numerous environmentally sensitive areas. Due to this, the vessel’s breakdown has led to significant consequences.
Environmental Repercussions
The oil spill produced by the ship poses a direct threat to Mauritius’s coastline ecology and to the marine life of the Indian Ocean. Habitats and species such as coral reefs, seagrasses, mangroves, fishes, and other aquatic fauna, many of which are already endangered, are now at risk. Notably at risk are the Giant tortoises, the endangered green turtle, and the Pink Pigeon, a species endemic to Mauritius that is currently listed as ‘vulnerable’ on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.
The Liability Issue
As per the International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution, 2001, vessel owners bear responsibility for damage resulting from oil leaks. Also referred to as the BUNKER convention, it was established in 2008 under the administration of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). It ensures prompt, substantial, and effective compensation for those suffering damage from oil spills, particularly when oil is carried as fuel in ships’ bunkers.
About Blue Bay Marine Park
This region, where the incident occurred, is considered a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention due to the presence of biodiverse ecosystems such as coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass meadows, and macroalgae.
Understanding Oil Spills
An oil spill refers to an uncontrolled release of oil or oil by-products into the environment, which can contaminate land, air, or water. They are primarily associated with oceanic spills and have become a critical environmental issue due to escalated petroleum exploration, production, and transportation.
The Impacts on Environment and Economy
Oil spills affect numerous aspects of the environment and economy. They hinder sunlight penetration and decrease oxygen levels in water bodies, damaging aquatic life. Moreover, oil-coated animals, particularly birds and marine mammals, may suffer hypothermia due to the loss of insulation and waterproofing properties of their feathers and fur. This could also lead to the animals ingesting the oil, which is toxic and can harm their habitat and reproductive rate. Further, oil spills can severely impact the tourism industry, commercial fishing, and other sea-water reliant utilities.
Clean-up Procedures
Cleanup techniques include containment booms, skimmers, sorbents, dispersing agents, and biological agents. Each of these tools plays a different role in addressing the oil spill, ranging from restricting the spread of oil, physically separating the oil from water, absorbing the oil, accelerating its natural dispersion into the sea, and increasing the biodegradation rate of oil.
Previous Oil Spill Incidents
History has seen several oil spills impacting diverse regions. Recently, a state of emergency was declared in Russia’s Krasnoyarsk Region following a power plant fuel leak that resulted in a 20,000-tonne oil spill into the Ambarnaya River. In 2010, the Deep Water Horizon incident caused nearly 400,000 tonnes of oil spill, devastating thousands of species. In 1978, a large crude oil carrier leaked approximately 70 million gallons of oil off the coast of Brittany, France, resulting in a fatal toll on marine life.