Oil Spill Occurs at Port of Taichung|強風吹襲駁油船撞碼頭漏油 台中港除汙

An oil leak happened in Taichung after a large bunker tanker collided with the wharf due to fierce winds. Experts said they have brought the situation under control.


A layer of oil covers the sea after an accident involving bunker tanker Taian No. 2. On Oct. 19, the tanker was sailing between wharfs at the Port of Taichung when severe gales caused it to collide with a corner of Wharf No. 29. An aft oil tank ruptured, causing oil to spill out onto the wharf and into the sea.

CPC Corporation, the tanker operator, Coast Guard personnel, and the Port of Taichung immediately launched an operation to contain the oil spill. They used three oil barriers and oil-absorbent cotton to contain the spill within the port. The tanker operator said the tanker was traveling to Wharf No. 2, and it stopped to let two cargo ships pass. It was 100 meters from Wharf No. 29 when severe gales blew it towards the wharf. The aft starboard tank ruptured after colliding with the wharf, causing two kiloliters of oil to spill out.

It was too close to Wharf No. 29, and the port also asked us to stop and yield to other vessels entering and exiting. After we stopped and reduced our power, a gust pushed us towards the edge of Wharf No. 29. We were out of control. That gust yesterday was a Beaufort scale 9 wind.

The Port of Taichung said the oil spill has not spread to outside the port area, and it will determine the responsibility for the accident.

The oil inside Taian No. 2's tanks will be completely removed by 6 p.m. At that time, there won't be any danger of oil leaking out. We will then clean the oil from the sea surface. The responsibility will be determined by an investigation. (Gusts and currents) are all possible factors.

Taichung City's Environmental Protection Bureau said no fines will be issued because what leaked was fuel oil and the situation was immediately brought under control.
This incident involved fuel oil, which is classified as a light oil. It floats on the sea surface, so it's easier to clean. Our preliminary determination is that CPC Corporation will clean it up quickly. With regards to the environmental impact, we will ask CPC Corporation to continue to monitor the surrounding area.

The Taian No. 2 supplies fuel to vessels berthed at the Port of Taichung. Its gross tonnage is 1,599, and it was commissioned in May 2020. It is currently Taiwan's largest bunker tanker. The Maritime Port Bureau will issue fines if this incident violated provisions of the Marine Pollution Control Act.



駁油船台安二號的燃油外漏，海面上浮著一層油，在強陣風吹襲下，被海浪拍打上岸，台中港29號碼頭也滿佈油汙。

中油公司、駁油業者、海巡人員及台中港務分公司人員，以處理油汙為第一優先，透過三道攔油索及吸油棉，把油汙控制在港區內；駁油船隻業者指出，19號中午駁油船正準備航向2號碼頭時，禮讓兩艘貨輪,暫時停船等候，卻在離29號碼頭岸際一百公尺左右，被強風吹向碼頭，撞破船尾右舷,造成漏油2公秉。

駁船業者 任廷軒表示：「過於接近29號碼頭，再加上臨港，有希望我們停俥，避讓進出港船，停俥的時候動力下降，導致湧流跟風，把我們(船隻)帶到29號(碼頭)邊緣，已經無法控制，那昨天的陣風有到九級。」

台中港務分公司表示，目前油汙沒有擴大到港區外，但會進一步釐清肇事相關責任。

台中港務分公司職安處長 謝志男表示：「台安二號燃料艙的燃油，大概在下午六點前，就全部盤清完畢，那就沒有再有油汙染漏出了，那後來後續，我們就再清除海面上的油汙了。（肇事責任)要等海事調查結果之後，（陣風、岸吸、海流)因為這些都是可能的因素。」

台中市環保局指出，由於外漏的是燃油，且第一時間控制得宜，目前不會開罰。

台中市環保局代局長 陳宏益表示：「這一次是燃料油，那燃料油，是屬於輕質的，所以它比較容易浮在水面，來做清理。所以我們初步判定，中油的部分，會很快的把它清除。但是對環境的影響，我們會持續要求中油，必須在附近做監測工作。」

這艘漏油的港內駁油船"台安二號"，工作項目是為台中港區內的停泊船隻加油，噸位1599噸，今年五月才剛下水營運，是目前全台最大型的駁油船。這次漏油如果有違反海汙法，航港局也將依法開罰。