Minimal to no risk of oil spill from sinking tanker off Venezuelan Coast – CDC

Guyana’s Civil Defence Commission (CDC) announced on Thursday that, based on recent assessments, there is minimal risk of an oil spill in the Gulf of Paria, where a Venezuelan-flagged tanker is sinking.

Guyanese officials were put on high alert as FSO Nabarima, which has been carrying millions of gallons of oil, started sinking – a situation that triggered major worry about a potential spill in the Caribbean Sea.
According to the CDC, efforts are being conducted to relieve the vessel of its cargo, and remedial works are ongoing to prevent the vessel from sinking further.
In fact, Trinidad and Tobago’s Energy Minister Franklin Khan says the Nabarima is currently upright and stable, with no visible tilt.
Reports also indicate that Venezuelan authorities have started to offload the tanker.
The CDC says it will continue to liaise with its local, regional and international counterparts to ensure the situation is adequately monitored and that no threats are posed to Guyana.

The Nabarima is jointly owned by the Venezuelan State-owned company Petroleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) and Italian oil giant Eni.
CDC Director General, Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig, had told this newspaper that if a spill were to occur, Guyana would experience little to no direct impact.
However, the CDC had noted that “indirectly, it may affect fisherfolk who are licensed to operate in surrounding waters off the coast of Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago.”
The CDC recently completed and officially handed over the country’s National Oil Spill Contingency Plan to Prime Minister Mark Phillips, who has responsibility for the sector.
Among other things, the plan accounts for oil and petroleum products entering Guyana’s territorial waters from spills which occur in neighbouring States.
The plan states that due to the proximity of Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela, a spill occurring in any one country may have direct or indirect social, economic, or environmental impacts on the others.
Therefore, the plan noted that a good working relationship is to be established among the neighbouring territories in the interest of reducing impacts of major spills that occur near the borders.
Additionally, it said a rapid response agreement of equal rights of access must be established. This is included in Section 2.8 of the Caribbean Island Plan.