POSTMORTEM UNDER WAY OF OIL SPILL OFF NW SPAIN

Most of an oil slick that fouled an area of about 100 sq km has dispersed or washed ashore about 1 month after the Greek tanker Aegean Sea broke up and caught fire off Northwest Spain. Juan Jose Alvarez of the Spanish merchant marine in late December estimated the Aegean Sea spilled 523,264 bbl of oil after running aground Dec. 3 in the entrance to the harbor off La Coruna, Galicia (see map, OGJ, Dec. 14, 1992, p. 24). The vessel was to unload its 580,000 bbl cargo of light crude for the

Jan. 5, 1993

5 min read

Most of an oil slick that fouled an area of about 100 sq km has dispersed or washed ashore about 1 month after the Greek tanker Aegean Sea broke up and caught fire off Northwest Spain.

Juan Jose Alvarez of the Spanish merchant marine in late December estimated the Aegean Sea spilled 523,264 bbl of oil after running aground Dec. 3 in the entrance to the harbor off La Coruna, Galicia (see map, OGJ, Dec. 14, 1992, p. 24). The vessel was to unload its 580,000 bbl cargo of light crude for the partly state owned petroleum company Repsol SA.

Although the spill volume was more than double the amount lost by the Exxon Valdez supertanker off Alaska in 1989, a number of factors seem to have diminished earlier fears of extensive damage to the environment (OGJ, Dec. 21, 1992, p. 30).

FEARS EASED

Environmentalist groups and salvage workers agree that as much as half the spilled crude may have burned off in the 24 hr fire that followed the grounding.

In addition, heavy seas for which the Galician coastline is notorious clearly helped disperse a large amount of the oil out to sea.

The response to the spill was prompt.

Tosh Moller, a British biologist working for the International Association of Independent Tanker Owners, said, "In contrast to the hysterical reaction when the Valdez went down in Alaska, the Spaniards handled the matter calmly, constructively, and sensibly."

Matters were also helped by the fact that the Aegean Sea was carrying a light gravity crude, Brent from Sullom Voe terminal in the Shetland Islands, much of which evaporated. Within 2 hr of sunrise following the spill, 6 km of barriers were erected to protect the entrance to La Coruna harbor, as well as the neighboring inlets of Ferrol, Ares, and Betanzos. However, severe weather conditions hampered efforts, and the barriers broke several times.

About 17 marine skimmers also were deployed soon after the spill. Five tank trucks carried oil recovered from the shoreline to recovery centers. About 200 miles of coastline, much of it rocky inlets vital to the local shellfish industry, were fouled, although the hardest hit area covers about 25 km in either direction of the spill.

Estimates of cleanup costs and lost revenues from the fishing and tourist industry are only beginning to be calculated. The regional government estimated losses to the local industry at about $50 million, with the livelihood of about 15,000 families compromised.

WHO'S RESPONSIBLE?

Officials remain at odds over responsibility for the accident.

The 54,000 dwt tanker, with a crew of 28, ran aground in thick fog and heavy seas about 5 a.m. Dec. 3 as it tried to make its way into La Coruna harbor without a pilot or tug assistance.

The Aegean Sea was expected to offload its cargo at the commercial docks in the harbor because the Repsol refinery a few miles up the coast has no deepwater docking facilities. The 100,000 b/d of crude currently processed by Repsol's Arteixo refinery is transported by pipeline from dockside at La Coruna. There have been calls for Repsol to build its own berthing facilities since the grounding of the Urquiola tanker in 1976 at almost the same spot, which resulted in a spill of about 714,000 bbl of oil.

Government officials said prior to the accident the Aegean Sea had been moored without permission for 2 days in Ares inlet, about 8 miles across from La Coruna harbor. To reach the harbor, the ship attempted to avoid the La Mula shallows by veering west and was attempting to maneuver around them when it ran aground.

The accident raised the issue of whether Repsol should build a deep-water terminal of its own. Comments by Spain's minister of transportation soon after the grounding suggested the government might push the company to do so.

CAPTAIN'S ROLE

The captain, Stavridis Konstadinos, was arrested after the crew had been airlifted from the stricken tanker and was being held under house arrest but at presstime had not been charged by Spanish authorities.

The case has gone before a judge, with no decision as of presstime last week. Engine failure has been ruled out. The captain said he was in radio contact with the pilot, who was on his way to the ship when the accident occurred. Spanish authorities deny this and say the sole responsibility is that of the captain, claiming he ignored procedures that require a pilot to be aboard.

The Spanish trade union Workers Commissions accused Repsol and La Coruna city authorities of giving permission for the tanker to enter the port. A Repsol official denied the company had given permission for the vessel to enter the port, saying it would have no authority to do so. Repsol did, however, tell port authorities that offloading of a Portuguese flag vessel had been completed and that a berth was available.

Konstadinos, although blasted by Spanish authorities who accuse him of failing to cooperate, has remained virtually silent on the question of what happened.

VESSEL OWNERS

The double bottomed, single hull tanker was built in Japan in 1973 as an ore/bulk/oil vessel, and underwent a major retrofit in 1991 at a cost of $8 million.

According to Coulouthrous, which handles affairs for shipowners Aegean Sea Trading Co., the vessel has a Lloyd's Registry classification of A-1. A Coulouthrous official added only that the ship was fully insured.

Mans Jacobson, director of the International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund, London, said shipowners would be liable for as much as $9 million. The fund could then add another $75 million.

The fund was founded in 1984 under the auspices of the International Maritime Organization, with 53 member nations. Funds are provided by taxing oil companies in countries that receive oil by sea.

Spanish insurer Musini faces a $12 million claim from Repsol for the lost tanker cargo. Musini heads a nine company reassurance pool that specializes in covering high risks.