LIMAY, Bataan: The Philippine Coast Guard reported Friday that siphoning operations at the sunken MTKR Terra Nova in Limay, Bataan were completed.
PCG said the contracted salvor, Harbor Star, conducted diving operations to secure all siphoning equipment before starting the salvage activities. The salvor also continued the unloading of recovered oily waste at the Orion dockyard in Bataan.
Some officials of PCG, Bataan provincial government and other agencies conducted final inspection at ground zero of the vessel after Harbor Star reported they recovered 1,415,954 liters of oil and an additional 17,725 kilograms of solid oily waste as part of the variance volume representing a 97.43% of recovery rate.
The contracted salvor said the remaining 37,867 liters, accounting for 2.57% of the total oil cargo, were lost due to various factors such as biodegradation, dissipation, absorption by sorbent booms, and unpumpable sludge left in the tanks.
According to the Incident Command Post, Harbor Star also conducted the final stripping operation to ensure empty cargo oil tanks. “The said procedure is essential to confirm the removal of residual oil and to prevent leakage or oil contamination for the upcoming salvage operation,” the command post explained.
Vice Admiral Roy Echeverria, commander of PCG’s Marine Environmental Command, presided over the final inspection.
Joining the inspection were Bataan officials headed by Gov. Jose Enrique Garcia 3rd, Major General Armando Corpuz (Ret.) of the Office of Civil Defense ; National Operation Center for Oil Pollution Director, Commodore Glenda Pereyra; and Coast Guard Station Bataan Commander, Lieutenant Commander Michael John Encina.
MT Terra Nova loaded with 1.4 million liters of industrial oil sank off Manila Bay in Limay last July 25 during the onslaught of habagat and typhoon Carina. (30)
