Petrol Stop - Mumbai oil spill to be cleared in 8 days

Mumbai oil spill to be cleared in 8 days

Tuesday, 10 August 2010

11 August 2010;timesofindia.indiatimes.com:Yogesh Naik:MUMBAI: The Singapore-based Smit company will begin operations to salvage the MSC Chitra from Wednesday. But it may take nearly six to eight months before the ship can be removed from the spot, officials said. Mumbai Port Trust chairperson Rahul Asthana said: "A team has come on Tuesday and another is reaching on Wednesday morning with pumps to remove the oil." Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust's acting chairperson N N Kumar said these pumps can suck out oil at the rate of 30 metric tonnes an hour. The ship Chitra was carrying 2662 metric tonnes of fuel when it’s started on Saturday. Nearly 879 metric tonnes has flown out. Besides, there are 283.8 tonnes of diesel and 88,040 litres of lube oil on board. "It will take eight days to drain out the oil," said Kumar. Coast Guard officials said a crane called Sea Patriot C4 mounted on a ship has been arranged and has been positioned close to Chitra to continuously pump out the oil. The salvers have already placed tugs and put chains so that the falling containers do not drift far off. They are immediately picked up and kept on the tugs. Asthana said the equipment is being imported from Rotterdam and Singapore. The submerged containers will be lifted using air bags and towed to a shallow corner. Simultaneously, the containers on the ship will be removed with a crane, placed on a barge and then taken to JNPT. Kumar said around the same time, water will be filled in the ship's tanks so that she does not lose her balance. Water blasts will also be used to correct the balance. "But the major fear will be over when the oil is removed completely," said Kumar. "It will take six to eight months before the ship can be refloated and towed away. If the salvers cannot refloat her, then they will have to cut her and dismantle her."