Offshore staff
TOKYO - A Japanese tanker has spilled about 1.4 million gal of crude oil into the Indian Ocean following a collision with a cargo ship. According to tanker owner Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, the spill is believed to be the largest involving Japanese-owned tankers.
The tankerBright Artemis collided with the Amar, a smaller cargo ship, on August 14th, 300 mi west of India's Nicobar Islands. The collision took place as a result of the tanker moving toward the Amar in order to provide assistance with a fire on board the smaller vessel.
The collision produced a gash in theBright Artemis of about 1 m in height and 5 m in length, damaging 2 tanks. The tanker transferred oil from the damaged tanks to other tanks in order to stop the spill.
According to an announcement by Mitsui O.S.K., the tanker was carrying about 77.6 million gal of crude. The tanker, which was en route from Oman to the Japanese port of Chiba, left the accident scene in order to find a nearby port for repairs before continuing on to Japan.
Mitsui O.S.K. reported the spill to Singaporean and Indian Coast Guard officials, and the company believes that the environmental impact from the spill, hundreds of miles out to sea, was minimal.
No injuries were reported among the Croatian crew and captain on board theBright Artemis, and the Amar's crew was rescued by the Bright Artemis and other nearby ships.
8/15/2006
