Chinese crews begin cleaning up 500-tonne oil spill near Qingdao
- 12 vessels have been dispatched to deal with the accident, Shandong Maritime Safety Administration official says
- Agency said on Wednesday that the spill – now estimated at 3,420 barrels – was only ‘minor’
Clean-up crews worked on Wednesday to contain an oil spill in the Yellow Sea near the Chinese port city of Qingdao, a day after a tanker carrying about 1 million barrels of bitumen mix was struck by a bulk vessel in heavy fog.
A preliminary study estimated about 500 tonnes (3,420 barrels) of oil had been spilled but further assessment was needed, an official from the Shandong Maritime Safety Administration said on condition of anonymity.
The administration said on its Weibo account on Wednesday morning that the incident caused only a “minor” spill.
The Liberia-flagged tanker A Symphony, which was at anchor near Qingdao, was hit by the Sea Justice on Tuesday. The impact caused a breach in its cargo tanks and ballast tanks.
Visibility in the area was improving and was at about 500 to 1,000 metres (1,640-3,280 feet), the official said, adding that when the accident took place it had been less than 200 metres.
A total of 12 vessels had been dispatched to deal with the accident and clean-up, he said, but did not say whether the leak had been contained.