Work begins on oil evacuation from sunken vessel

The work has finally started on evacuation of oil from the sunken Mongolian vessel Black Rose, 40 days after it capsized near the Paradeep port on the eastern coast.

Seven personnel of Resolve Marine Group, the US-based firm which was awarded the contract to retrieve oil from the sunken vessel, visited the site of the mishap on Monday along with the PPT officials to conduct survey work.

The team of Resolve Marine Group and the PPT officials are making efforts to locate the oil tank of the sunken vessel.

Black Rose had sunk in the Bay of Bengal, about five km from the Paradeep port on September 9 this year.

Sources said, the vessel was loaded with 975 tonnes of furnace oil which was kept in three sealed chambers.

“The furnace oil stored in the chambers was in semi-solid condition and would become liquid only after heating. Therefore, the semi-solid oil from the sealed chambers would be pumped out after heating”, sources added.

Biplav Kumar, deputy chairman, PPT said, “The team has visited the spot and started their preparatory and survey work. Seven personnel of the US-based firm have been pressed into service while PPT would provide divers and marine personnel to retrieve oil from the vessel.”

PPT has received 75 per cent of the equipment from the US-based firm and we expect to receive the remaining equipment shortly, he added.

PPT had awarded the contract to retrieve oil from the sunken vessel to Resolve Marine Group at a cost of Rs 17.5 crore. The bidder had committed to start its work within ten days and complete the operations within 45 days.

Earlier, PPT had engaged J Enterpisres and Divers to carry out oil plugging operations and the firm has completed its work. The PPT authorities had earlier clarified that the port authorities were not responsible for evacuation of oil from the sunken vessel under the Indian Merchant Shipping Act.

Pravat Nanda, secretary, PPT had filed an FIR at the marine police station against the vessel owner, its management company and the shipping agent.