Panama-flagged bulk carrier Ever Judger is likely to have caused the rupture of the undersea pipe which resulted in the massive oil spill in East Kalimantan, Indonesia, on March 31.
Based on the initial findings of an investigation launched by the Indonesian Navy’s hydrographic office, before the incident, the 82,000 dwt bulk carrier was the only vessel in the waters of Balikpapan Bay, according to the vessel’s AIS data.
Specifically, Ever Judger’s anchor caused the rupture of the undersea pipe, Rear-Admiral Harjo Susmoro from the navy’s oceanography and hydrography center was cited as saying by Indonesian news portal Balikpapan Pos. The anchor is believed to have dragged the pipe, belonging to Indonesia’s state oil company Pertamina, some 300 feet from its original position. When entering this Indonesian area with undersea pipes, ships are not allowed to drop anchors.
However, an investigation is yet to confirm whether that was the case, as lab tests need to confirm whether the substance on the anchor matches the spilled oil.
The leakage spread at least 26 kilometers and coated large areas of the coast in thick black sludge, data from Greenpeace shows.
The spill and related fire in the bay that sent a thick cloud of smoke into the air claimed the lives of five people and saw the country declare a state of emergency.
According to a report from Ministry of Environment and Forestry, the incident affected around 34 hectares Mangrove ecosystem and caused health problems to the people in the area.
Pertamina has since been engaged with local authorities on containing the spill.
3月31日，巴拿馬籍的散貨船Ever Judger很可能導致海底管道的破裂，導致印尼東加里曼丹島發生大規模石油洩漏。
根據印度尼西亞海軍水文局開展調查的初步結果，根據船舶的AIS數據，在事件發生前，82,000載重噸的散貨船是Balikpapan灣水域唯一的船隻。
具體來說，Ever Judger的船錨引起了海底管道的破裂，印尼新聞門戶網站Balikpapan 引用海軍上將Harjo Susmoro的海軍海洋學和水文學中心。據信，該錨已經拖拉了屬於印度尼西亞國家石油公司Pertamina的管道，距離其原始位置約300英尺。當進入印尼有海底管道地區時，是不允許船舶拋錨的。
但是，調查尚未確認是否屬實，因為實驗室測試需要確認錨上的物質是否與溢出的油相匹配。
綠色和平組織的數據顯示，洩漏蔓延至少26公里，並將大面積的海岸覆蓋在厚厚的黑色污泥中。
海灣中的溢出物和相關的火焰向空中發出濃煙，奪走了五人的生命，並看到該國宣布進入緊急狀態。
根據環境和林業部的報告，這一事件影響了約34公頃的紅樹林生態系統，並給該地區的人民造成了健康問題。
此後，Pertamina與地方當局溢油事故進行了溝通。
Image Courtesy: World Maritime News Staff / Imformation Source: World Maritime News Staff
