Around two tonnes of oil spilled from a ship at the Kamarajar port in Ennore on Sunday morning.

This is the second oil spill, though minor, when compared with the one that happened in January 2017.

Vessel Coral Stars was discharging fuel oil through flexible hose at Marine Liquid Terminal 1 in the port. At 4 am, the flexible hose got snapped from the berth side. Immediately, the discharge of cargo was stopped by operating the emergency control button.

Due to snapping of hose, some quantity of fuel oil, which was mostly contained in the hose, got spilled in the sea water in front of the berth area.

Spread contained

P Raveendran, Chairman and Managing Director, Kamarajar Port Ltd, said officials from the port along with the Coast Guard and Mercantile Marine Department swung into action immediately to contain the spread of oil. “We had learnt lessons from the previous experience and acted immediately,” he told BusinessLine .

On January 28, 2017, an oil spill occurred at the port when an outbound empty tanker BW Maple collided with an inbound loaded tanker Dawn Kanchipuram. The oil spilled spread quickly to nearby shores. “I am personally monitoring the whole exercise since 5 am,” Raveendran said.

Oil discharge was stopped immediately and booms were deployed around the oil tanker to prevent the spread. By tomorrow morning, the spill will be completely contained, Raveendran said.

Aerial survey was also done by the Coast Guard along with sea side reconnaissance by their interceptor boat to assess the spillage surface.

Visually, it was observed that the spillage is confined within the breakwater area of the port and mostly within the fenced boom area.