Explosion et incendie sur un pétrolier près du Sri Lanka

Bunker Spill Reported From VLCC, As MT New Diamond’s Rear-Portion Sinks By 3 Feet After Reignition Of Fire September 9, 2020

However, due to the usage of large quantities of water to suppress the fire and to ensure there is no re-ignition, the ship’s aft portion has gone down by 3 feet.

Nederlands bergingsbedrijf SMIT helpt bij berging uitgebrande olietanker 'New Diamond' 10-09-2020 12:06

Nederlands bergingsbedrijf SMIT helpt bij berging uitgebrande olietanker 'New Diamond'


Traduction
La société néerlandaise de sauvetage SMIT aide à récupérer le pétrolier brûlé `` New Diamond '' 10-09-2020 12:06

COLOMBO - Le sauvetage d'un pétrolier qui a pris feu au large des côtes du Sri Lanka est en cours. L'aide de la société de récupération néerlandaise SMIT, qui a envoyé un remorqueur, a été sollicitée pour cela.

L'incendie a fait rage pendant une semaine à bord du New Diamond, qui transporte quelque 270 000 tonnes de pétrole. L'incendie s'est déclaré dans la salle des machines et a été complètement éteint mercredi, rapporte un porte-parole de la marine sri-lankaise. «Nous prenons du recul et c'est maintenant aux propriétaires de décider comment ils veulent s'y prendre», dit-il.

On craignait que du pétrole fuit du pétrolier. Cela ne s'est pas produit, bien que le navire fuit du diesel des moteurs. Ce spot a doublé de taille dans la nuit de mercredi à jeudi et mesure maintenant 2 kilomètres de long.

Des experts du sauvetage sont maintenant venus à bord pour voir comment l'opération devrait se dérouler. Un remorqueur SMIT est également arrivé jeudi pour aider. Il a des outils spéciaux avec lui pour pomper l'eau du pétrolier et pour dégazer le navire.

Le navire battant pavillon panaméen était en route vers le port indien de Paradip lorsqu'il a rencontré des problèmes au large des côtes du Sri Lanka. Une chaudière a explosé et a déclenché un incendie. Un membre d'équipage philippin a été tué.

VIDEO: Salvor, Sri Lanka navy experts board fire-stricken New Diamond September 11, 2020

A team of experts from the Sri Lanka Navy and the salvage company hired by the owner of the fire-damaged supertanker New Diamond has boarded the vessel for the first time after several days of fighting a fire on board.



The team is assessing the damage the ship suffered as a result of the fire, which broke out on September 3 following an explosion of a boiler in the ship’s main engine room.



Based on these assessments, it would be decided what future actions would be taken to salvage the ship.

The very large crude carrier has been towed about 50 nautical miles (93km) off Kalmunai from its previous location of about 37 nautical miles off Sangamankanda Point as a precaution measure.

The fire fighting operation, towing exercise, as well as the boarding of the ship, are taking place during rough sea conditions.

The Sri Lanka Air Force has released footage of its fire-fighting operations, including the utilization of chemical powder to douse the fire while flying through the billowing dark smoke. The daring effort has helped prevent a colossal maritime disaster, the navy said.



Inclement weather also contributed to reigniting the fire on board on September 8, just a day after the navy said the fire was extinguished.

On September 9, another fuel patch was spotted in the sea area where the ship is located and it was revealed that the recent fuel patch and the one noticed the previous day had been caused by leaks from the ship’s fuel tanks.

The slick has been described to be 10 to 30 meters wide and about a nautical mile long.

“Following these developments, a Dornier aircraft of the Indian Coast Guard stationed at the Mattala Mahinda Rajapaksa International Airport was flown to the area where the fuel patch was observed and dispersants were airdropped to the sea area to minimize its impact on the marine environment.

“Photographs snapped by the Indian Coast Guard and Sri Lanka Air Force aircraft indicated that the fuel patch that was observed the day before is no longer visible and the one reported today (September 9) is being dissolved gradually,” the navy said in an update.

As explained, during the fire-fighting operation the ship’s engine and pump rooms have been flooded with seawater, stabling in trim by aft condition. Therefore, it is suspected that the fuel slicks were caused by sludge oozed with floodwater.

This could be one of the contributing factors to the ship’s listing, as shown in the footage of the boarding operation.
According to technical analysis cited by the navy, the ship’s crude oil tanks are not damaged as of now and there are no reports of crude oil dripping from the stricken ship.

A joint diving operation by a Sri Lanka Navy and Indian Coast Guard diving team is scheduled to confirm this, once the prevailing rough sea condition recedes.

Water samples from the area have also been taken for further examination.

“Efforts are being made to remove toxic gases and other vapours, caused by THE fire, from the engine room and other compartments of the ship, as of now,” the navy said.

“Once the safety procedures are complete, the responsibility of the ship rests with the ship’s owner and its salvation firm.”

New Diamond was transporting 270,000 metric tonnes of crude oil from the Port of Mina Al Ahmadi in Kuwait to the Port of Paradip in India when the fire broke out aboard the ship.

One crew member died in the explosion while the remaining 22 men were evacuated.

The rescued crew members, who were isolated onboard Sri Lanka navy ship Sindurala were transferred to the port of Hambantota.

The 2000-built very large crude carrier is owned by New Shipping Ltd from Greece, according to the data from VesselsValue.

VLCC tanker NEW DIAMOND after fire SRLAF Video Sep 11, 2020 at 13:12.

Sri Lanka Air Force posted a short video on youtube with plane filming NEW DIAMOND after fire – ship’s having stern tilt, which can be considered as quite normal, after a massive and prolonged firefighting. Seemingly tanker is under tow, with a thin fuel sheen in her wake. According to latest salvage tracks, she’s towed eastward, understood to keep her against fresh wind and sea during salvage team survey and preparations for further towage.

Salvors searching for port
Sep 23 20:54
The salvage team was now searching for a port to transfer oil from the 'New Diamond'. The tanker was carrying around 270,000 tonnes of Kuwaiti crude from Mina-Al-Ahmadi to Paradip in Odisha when it caught fire in the engine room early on Sep 3 about 38 nautical miles off Sri Lanka's east coast. Actually, the cargo was safe. The vessel was now held in Sri Lankan water about 70 nautical miles from the coast.

Negligence and pollution charges against Greek captain
Sep 17 22:08
Sri Lanka has filed negligence and pollution charges against the Greek captain of the 'New Diamond'.
"There is sufficient evidence to prosecute the skipper under the marine pollution act as well as the penal code for criminal negligence," a spokeswoman for Attorney-General Dappula de Livera said.
Much of the slick has been cleaned up and no further fuel has leaked from the vessel since Sep 11. For now, there were no signs of the slick reaching the coast.
The Panamanian-registered tanker's owners would also be slapped with a $1.88 million fire-fighting bill. The vessel is owned by Liberian-registered Porto Emporios Shipping Inc and managed by Greek ship owner, New Shipping Ltd.
Compensation of $1.9 million is also being sought from the owners for assistance given to the vessel since it caught fire and the cost of any environmental clean-up and damage.
The cost was for services provided by various departments including the Sri Lankan navy, air force, ports authority and Marine Environment Protection Authority, among others, up until Sep 15.
Sri Lanka has meanwhile asked the ship's owners to tow the tanker beyond its exclusive economic zone, which extends 200 nautical miles from its coast.
The nation's environmental authorities were fearing a marine disaster if the tanker is allowed to transfer its oil to another ship in the country's waters.
The tanker was currently located some 70 nautical miles east off the Sri Lankan coastal town of Batticaloa.. The Navy "decided to let the salvage master do his job with no restrictions from us on maintaining distance. There is strong current in the area that pulls ship further away. It's hard to pull it back closer to land due to the heavy current."
All Indian vessels engaged in dousing the fire and subsequent activities have left Sri Lanka.
The $1.9 million claim was a preliminary sum, as the Sri Lankan Navy are still engaged in the operation.
New Shipping Ltd has appointed SMIT Singapore Pte Ltd. to lead the salvage operations.
Salvagers have already vacated the ruptured tank in the engine room and transferred the dirty water into the ballast section.

Sri Lanka has sought an initial compensation of Rs 340 million
Sep 17 11:25
Sri Lanka has sought an initial compensation of Rs 340 million from the owners of the 'New Diamond'. Attorney General Dappula De Livera presented the request for compensation to the lawyers representing the owners of the ship on Sep 16. The AG’s Coordinating Officer State Counsel Nishara Jayaratne said that the compensation was sought to cover the cost incurred by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN), Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF), Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), Colombo Dockyard PLC (CDPLC), Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) and the Department of Coast Conservation, to extinguish the fire onboard the tanker, and other related matters.
The initial compensation of Rs 340 million was based on the estimated cost incurred by Sri Lanka as Sep 15. The total cost, including the cost of the damage caused to the environment, will differ once the ship is moved completely out of Sri Lankan waters. Meanwhile the Attorney General had instructed the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to file a report in court against the captain of the ship.
The Attorney General was of the opinion that there was sufficient evidence to file charges against the captain of the ship.
The Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Air Force, Sri Lanka Ports Authority, the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard had been working together to control the fire that erupted after an explosion of a boiler in the main engine room of the 'New Diamond' 38 nautical miles off Sangamankanda Point east of Sri Lankan seas on Sep 3.

Ouf ! c'est toujours ça...
Amitiés.

Xavier

Owner pays $1.84 million to Sri Lanka
Sep 25 12:35
The Greece-based Porto Emporios Shipping Inc. as the owners of the 'New Diamond' have agreed to pay $1.84 million to Sri Lanka for its help in extinguishing the blaze and averting disaster. The interim claim was for services provided by the Sri Lankan navy, air force, ports authority and Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) after the fire on Sep. 3 until Sep 15. Insurers of the vessel West of England will settle the bill. The tanker was currently 66 nautical miles from Batticaloa on Sri Lanka’s east coast. The MEPA has allowed the release of 20 crew members while one injured sailor was undergoing treatment in a private hospital in Sri Lanka. The captain has not been allowed to leave the country as he was going through legal proceedings.

Tanker under tow to Kandla
Sep 28 10:45
The 'New Diamond' was now bound for an off-shore terminal Vadinar at the Kandla Port trust. where the crude oil will be pumped out at the offshore oil terminal. The operation to tow the vessel is closely being monitored by the Indian Coastguard. The operation has commenced, and it will take about 12 days to take the wreck to Gujarat.

Owner pays $1.84 million to Sri Lanka
Sep 25 12:35
The Greece-based Porto Emporios Shipping Inc. as the owners of the 'New Diamond' have agreed to pay $1.84 million to Sri Lanka for its help in extinguishing the blaze and averting disaster. The interim claim was for services provided by the Sri Lankan navy, air force, ports authority and Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) after the fire on Sep. 3 until Sep 15. Insurers of the vessel West of England will settle the bill. The tanker was currently 66 nautical miles from Batticaloa on Sri Lanka’s east coast. The MEPA has allowed the release of 20 crew members while one injured sailor was undergoing treatment in a private hospital in Sri Lanka. The captain has not been allowed to leave the country as he was going through legal proceedings.

Salvors searching for port
Sep 23 20:54
The salvage team was now searching for a port to transfer oil from the 'New Diamond'. The tanker was carrying around 270,000 tonnes of Kuwaiti crude from Mina-Al-Ahmadi to Paradip in Odisha when it caught fire in the engine room early on Sep 3 about 38 nautical miles off Sri Lanka's east coast. Actually, the cargo was safe. The vessel was now held in Sri Lankan water about 70 nautical miles from the coast.

Travel ban imposed on Master
Sep 29 10:03
A travel ban has been imposed on the Master of the 'New Diamond' by the Colombo Chief Magistrate on Sep 28. The local media reported that the announcement came after he appeared before the Colombo Magistrate's Court at Hulftsdorp on compliance of a notice issued by the Colombo Additional Magistrate Priyantha Liyanage and after accepting a request made by the Deputy Solicitor General Dileepa Peiris, for the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). The Attorney General instructed the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to name the Captain as a suspect for committing offences under the Prevention of Marine Pollution Act No. 35 of 2008.