The Philippine Coast Guard in Siquijor province has undertaken oil spill containment measures and monitoring, following the grounding of a passenger vessel in the town of Lazi.
Richelito Arbis, commander of the Coast Guard Station-Siquijor, told the media that on Sunday, they deployed and laid out floating barriers around the half-sunken GL Ferry to prevent or reduce the spread of oil spill.
“So far, we have only observed oil sheen, not oil slicks, from GL Ferry,” Arbis said in mixed English and Filipino.
The oil spill booms will prevent the oil sheen from reaching shore, he said.
It took the Coast Guard more than a day to respond to the mishap due to unfavorable weather conditions, and also because they had to participate in a meeting with local officials regarding the ship grounding, Arbis said.
The GL Ferry, which plies the Iligan-Lazi, Siquijor route and back, was moored in the Lazi port for weeks as it required some repair, he said.
At around 3 p.m. on Sept. 13, strong winds and huge waves cut the vessel’s bow lines, dislodging it from the port, which then drifted towards the open sea. It was later pushed back to the coast by the waves, and ran aground on a sandy bottom in another part of Lazi port where it is currently stuck, he added.
Arbis said the vessel’s owner has filed a marine protest with the Maritime Industry Authority.
Pending investigation, the GL Ferry cannot yet be moved from its current location but once the MARINA gives the go-signal, it will be floated to the surface, and towed to, most-likely, Cebu for drydock and repair, he said.
Meanwhile, sea travel has been suspended to and from Siquijor for vessels that are 250 gross tonnage and below due to “rough to very rough” sea conditions triggered by the southwest monsoon. (Judy F. Partlow/PNA)
