Sinking Venezuelan oil tanker poses no major direct threat to Guyana
The Venezuelan flag carrier - Nabarima Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) vessel in the Gulf of Paria
The Venezuelan flag carrier - Nabarima Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) vessel in the Gulf of Paria

By Navendra Seoraj
AN ‘idle’ Venezuelan oil tanker, with 1.3 million barrels of crude oil, is reportedly sinking in the Gulf of Paria near Trinidad and Tobago, and while a possible oil spill can impact the ecological systems of both Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela almost immediately, it poses no major direct threat to Guyana.
“Based on our analysis, there is no major direct impact because of its location,” said Director-General of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig, told Guyana Chronicle on Tuesday.

According to the Miami Herald, the tanker, called the floating storage and offloading (FSO) Nabarima, was abandoned more than 20 months following tightened U.S. sanctions.
The report stated that while Nabarima is flying under a Venezuelan flag, it is operated by the Petrosucre Company, a joint venture between the Venezuelan state oil company Petroleos de Venezuela, PDVSA and the Italian oil giant, Eni.

After the Trump administration imposed sanctions on PDVSA in January 2019, Petrosucre stopped its oil extraction and the ship was left off the eastern coast of Venezuela/northern cost of Trinidad and Tobago.

Director-General of the Civil Defence Commission (CDC), Lieutenant Colonel Kester Craig

With recent photos showing the vessel dangerously tilting to the side, concerns over its possible capsizing have been growing.
For Guyana, while there is no major direct threat, Lieutenant Colonel Craig said a potential spill would affect fishermen who are licenced to operate within proximity of the vessel.
“It definitely would affect fishing and any type of marine activity in the area,” said the director-general.
Fishing and sea-going vessels are urged to be on the lookout for any sighting of oil spills and to report immediately to the local Maritime Administration Department (MARAD) on telephone number 226-9871.

The CDC and Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Authority (CDEMA) are closely monitoring the situation and have committed to keeping the public updated.
According to the CDC, should the need arise, the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan will be activated and a committee will be tasked with conducting analysis, assessments and necessary response measures to mitigate any adverse effect on Guyana.

The National Oil Spill Contingency Plan was handed over to Prime Minister, Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips, on October 6, 2020.
In expressing great satisfaction in receiving the plan, Prime Minister Phillips had said such a strategy would assist the Government’s programme of disaster preparedness in the oil and gas sector.

The National Emergency Oil Spill Plan was crafted with valuable inputs from the Guyana Marine Conservation Society; Guyana Wildlife Conservation and Management Commission; the Ministry of Legal Affairs; the Shipping Association of Guyana; ExxonMobil; Tullow; Guyana Oil Company ( Guyoil); Repsol; Shell; GAICO Construction and other stakeholders.

SHARE THIS ARTICLE :
Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

All our printed editions are available online
emblem3
Subscribe to the Guyana Chronicle.
Sign up to receive news and updates.
We respect your privacy.