IMA TO DETERMINE ORIGIN OF OIL 

The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) and the Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) are assisting and supporting the preliminary assessment along Tobago’s coastline following a major oil spill on Wednesday.  Samples of the oil have been collected by the IMA for fingerprinting and analysis to determine its origin. This was confirmed by the Ministry of Planning and Development in a statement issued on Friday. 

Minister Pennelope Beckles said she was deeply concerned about the oil spill and its impact on Tobago’s natural resources. She noted that her Ministry had been receiving frequent updates from the EMA and the IMA which are agencies under her remit. 

Both agencies have been on the ground actively supporting and collaborating with the Tobago Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) and other key stakeholders. Additionally, the EMA has guided the proper disposal of oil-contaminated materials, including sargassum seaweed.

Minister Beckles expressed her commitment to continue monitoring the situation closely and provide all the necessary support.

On Wednesday 07th February, Lambeau fishermen sited an overturned vessel in waters near Cove Estate. It was further discovered that an oil-like substance was leaking from the vessel. The substance has since spread across the entire southeastern coastline. 

Tobago House of Assembly (THA) Chief Secretary, Farley Augustine is expected to declare the situation a Tier 3 level disaster today. This will prompt the President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Christine Kangaloo, to declare the situation a national emergency, as it will move beyond the capacity of the THA. 

A Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) will be deployed from the Coast Guard Base in Scarborough to the site of the ship-wrecked vessel today, to capture footage essential for determining the International Maritime Organization (IMO) number of the vessel and to identify the source of the leakage.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries (MEEI) dispatched a team of Petroleum Inspectors from its Petroleum Operations Management Division (POMD) to Tobago under the leadership of Mr Marc Rudder, Chief Technical Officer at the MEEI, to assist the THA in containing and managing the oil spill. 

On Friday the Minister of Energy and Energy Industries, Stuart Young and Senator Rohan Sinanan, Minister of Works and Transport, met with the Chief Secretary. 

Both Ministers offered continued support and expertise from their Ministries to the THA and TEMA. The MEEI personnel were also present and have been participating in and providing expertise in the response exercise. 

Minister Young has approved for Heritage Petroleum Company Ltd. to send resources to Tobago including personnel and equipment, to assist in the response. This comes after the MEEI initially requested assistance from Woodside Energy and their approval of the use of a private service contractor (Kaizen Environmental Services Trinidad Ltd) that Woodside Energy had in Tobago with the expertise to deal with containment and clean-up operations.

Minister Young has been in contact with the leadership of both bpTT and Shell Trinidad both of whom have offered to assist the MEEI in dealing with the situation. The MEEI has pledged its continued support and assistance in this developing matter.

Clean-up and containment efforts continue today.