Cape Town - A vessel that could be the origin of an oil spill reported along the Garden Route coast has been identified, according to the municipality.
This after the Mossel Bay municipality initiated clean-up operations earlier this month following beach closures due to an oil spill which saw tar-like droplets wash ashore from Mossel Bay to Wilderness.
Garden Route District Municipality spokesperson Marillia Veldkornet said: “The origin of the Heavy Furnace Oil is still being investigated. The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) indicated that a vessel has been identified, but they would only be certain once the fingerprint alkalises of the oil samples collected on our beaches are available.”
She said action, as well as the “polluter pays” principle, would be followed as soon as the investigation was completed.
Currently all beaches are open, but some oil pellets are still visible at some beaches, especially after stormy sea conditions, the municipality said.
“The clean-up teams deployed at the beaches for the 2022/2023 Summer season address this early every morning to ensure clean beaches for everyone visiting our beaches,” Veldkornet said.
Mossel Bay municipality spokesperson, Cornelle Carstens added that beaches in Mossel Bay had been closed on November 29 due to the presence of “stranded hydrocarbon, low-sulphur droplets from an unknown source”.
“The municipality’s department of environmental management immediately notified all the relevant provincial and national departments.
Samples were collected and analysed. Despite the stranded oil being found on beaches from Gouritzmond (Hessequa District) to Plettenberg Bay (Bitou District), there have been no reports linking the oil spill to humans, birds, or marine life. The Head of Disaster Management at Garden Route District Municipality, declared most beaches along the Garden Route “green” by December 5, which means that it is open, clean, and safe for beach-goers,” he said.
According to the The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) it received no reports of wildlife affected by the mystery oil spill.
“Although no wildlife was affected, this spill highlights the need for a coastal surveillance programme to ensure that oil spills are detected as soon as possible to prevent shoreline impacts and harm to marine wildlife.
Tar ball samples have been taken from affected beaches along the Garden route. These samples will provide information on the type of oil that was spilt,” SANCCOB’s preparedness and response manager, Monica Stassen said.
Cape Times