Loti Yates, Director, NDMO, Solomon Islands THE GROUNDING OF THE - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Loti Yates, Director, NDMO, Solomon Islands

THE GROUNDING OF THE SOLOMON TRADER

Weather watch & Warnings

• Meteorological warnings issued due to presence of low depression in the

region.

• Strong Wind warning No.1 issued by Solomon Island Met Services at

4.30pm 3rd Feb 2019.

• Expect West to Southwest winds of 15 to 25 knots with moderate to rough

seas and moderate swells (2.5 meters) over most waters in the next 24 to 48 hours.

• Solomon Trader grounding 4TH/5th February 2019 around midnight (Vessel

position 11-40.77S 160-18.8E)

• All Crew evacuated from casualty 7th February 2019 – No

injuries/casualties

• Weather depression upgraded to TC OMA and continued to delay response

for another 7 days.

LOCATION OF CASUALTY (11-40.77S 160-18.8E)

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Airport & Communication Solomon Trader

SW’ly wind

Suddenly happened

PA PARTICULARS OF OF T THE C CASUALTY

Type: Bulk Carrier, Self-Geared IMO No: 9075670 Registered: Hongkong Principal Dimension:

• Length (LOA):

224.97 m

• LBP:

217.00 m

• Moulded Breadth: 32.28 m
• Moulded Depth: 19.00 m

Deadweight: 73,592 T Lightship: 10,642 T TPC: 69.08 t/cm

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CARGO ON BOARD

• 10,850 MT of Bauxite (pic)

10,850 MT of Bauxite

Timeline of events

• Initial notification of grounding to SI MRCC -5th February 2019
• Communication on Incident between MRCC/Police/Ship owners for

the next 7 days

• Hull & Machinery deployed to scene
• PI Club Deployed
• National Oil Spill Committee called its first meeting 13th Feb 2019
• Verbal briefing for DFAT contact point – 13th Feb 2019.
• The National Disaster Management Office was directed by Govt to

tale lead in the coordination of response.

Timeline of events

• AMSA & LOC support Embedded into the NDMO. This provided the

foundation for the response.

• SIG UN Support for JEU to be deployed to support SIG scope and set

in place plans for EDA

• The Govt had 3 main Operational Objectives
• Removal and safe treatment of all hydrocarbons from vessel
• Environmental clean-up
• Removal of the wreck
• SIG “Stand by Assistant” sought from Australia & NZ – AMSA/NZMSA
• AMSA/NZMSA personnel and assets deployed

THE RESPONSE/COORDINATION

National Emergency Operation Centre (Honiara)

• SIMSA
• Environment Dept
• Fisheries
• Health
• Police/Fire & Emergency
• OSOCC – Onsite Operation

Coordination Center – Lavagu Rennell Island

• Salvors – Resolve Marine
• Protection & Indemnity Club

(Korean Protection Indemnity Club)

• ITOPF
• Mining Company – BMCSI

(Charterers)

• AMSA/NZMSA

Nationa nal Level Co Coordi dina nation n Arr rrang ngement for r Renne nnell Island nd Oil Spi pill Respo pons nse

N-DOC Chair Incident Commander National Spills Committee N-DOC Sector Committees (Education, Health, Livelihood, Infrastructure, Protection, Camp Management) Private Sector (Bintang Mining, Ship Owner, Oil Spill & Wreckage Service Providers) NEOC On-site Coordination

NDC

International Pa Support, Club, Salvors

THE RESPONSE/COORDINATION

• National Level
• Regular coordination briefing with Salvors, AMSA/NZMSA
• Regular briefing for SIG agencies
• Daily situation updates
• Weekly situation reports
• Sharing of info on progress with Salvors
• Weekly meeting with Salvors and Club
• OSOCC
• Daily briefings – SIG/Salvors/Club
• Joint assessments
• Issuance of daily situation updates from OSOCC

OPERATIONAL STATUS (CURRENT)

SIG Objectives

• Removal and safe treatment of all

hydrocarbons from vessel.

• Oil contained and ready for

removal

• Environmental clean-up
• On-going discussions with Club for

removal and clean up work progressing

• Removal of the wreck
• Re-floating successful, preparation for

removal from country progressing

Successful refloating of casualty 11th May 2019

Challenges

For the Govt

• Insufficient legal backing within its legislations to support

compensation claims.

• Untested National Oils Spills plan.
• Leadership and activation processes
• Understanding roles and responsibilities
• Lack of Resources to deal with Oil Spill of this magnitude - funds,

personnel with relevant expertise and equipment to deal

Challenges

• Logistics
• Remoteness – Site close to Honiara but lack infrastructure and access point

from sea.

• Airport – Short runway – twin otter aircraft only
• Communication difficulties – No communication means at site of casualty.
• Lack of accommodation
• High Operational costs
• Land Tenure System – Use of Local laborers for OSR especially clean up – lack of

necessary skillsets for this type of work.

• On-going mining and logging operations within the site of the casualty

Lessons Learnt for future contingency planning

• Review of relevant Legislations – SIMSA, Environment, Mining etc
• Regional/National Preparedness – Oil spill risks low compared to other

global hotspots & with lack of infrastructure, best to share resources. Regional instruments and Secretariats should be harnessed better to provide the support - SPREP

• Capacity/equipment – Most spills come ashore – cheaper to train laborers
• ver accessing expensive equipment to contain oil whilst at sea.
• Command & Control
• Short turn around of staff managing the OSOCC
• Communication difficulties and lack of presence of club in Honiara meant difficult to

maintain operational understanding.

• Insurers to ensure support to Govt to ensure

Lessons Learnt for future contingency planning

• Preapproved waste facilities
• Recycling of liquid oil
• Incineration in power plants, cement plants and oil refineries
• Use of stabilised sediment in road construction
• Prearranged waste storage facilities
• identify where hazardous material could be stored in the event of a spill and

provide a map of these sites on a contingency plan.