REGIONAL – The Nabarima is safe, for now

Source: T&T Daily Express – THERE is no immediate danger of an oil spill from the FSO Nabarima.

Energy Minister Franklin Khan said yesterday that a detailed report from a team which visited the vessel in Venezuelan waters on Tuesday, has given the assurance that the oil storage tanker is “stable and upright at this time”.

Speaking to The Express via telephone, Khan said, the vessel also shows “no visible tilt” and “there is no imminent danger of tilting or sinking”.

The country can expect a detailed report of the team’s visit today, Khan said, but the danger is cleared for now.

However, Khan said while Government is happy to see that the Venezuelan government is in the process of transferring the cargo, which has been recommended, there are concerns as to the oil being moved in increments.

Khan said the vessel’s 1.3 million barrels of crude are being moved via a smaller tanker with a capacity around 300,000 barrels, and that this could be “a greater risk of environmental issue than any actual leak and we will communicate these concerns with the Venezuelan authorities shortly”.

Khan said the preferred method of transfer would have been a large tanker and called the current process “tedious”.

While United States sanctions against Venezuela do not apply to actions taken to remedy or prevent disaster, the transferred crude still not be sold.

Khan noted reports about the deteriorating condition of the vessel in the last two months, including that its engine room had started taking on water.

The local three-man team confirmed with Venezuelan representatives that there was no mixing of oil and water at that time and that oil “did not leak from the containment tank.

Khan said this may indicate that the vessel’s double hull is not in immediate danger and stated that the maintenance programme on the vessel was “quite satisfactory at this time”.

The local team has recommended a follow-up visit in a month’s time, he said, to ensure that the work remains ongoing and he again noted that the incremental offloading of oil remains a concern.

In August, environmental activist group, Fishermen and Friends of the Sea (FFOS) raised an alarm that the tanker was rusted and taking on water, with visible listing to starboard.

The group had written to Energy Minister, Franklin Khan, and Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley, requesting urgent action in the form of a first-hand visit, so as to determine the level of any threat.