Maltese registered tanker breaks in two off Karachi

The Tasman Spirit, a Maltese registered ship, is threatening environmental disaster in the coastal area surrounding the Pakistani port city of Karachi following serious oil leaks, according to the shipping newspaper Lloyd's List.

The grounded crude oil tanker has broken in two. However, some of the pipelines connecting to the oil storage tanks are still intact. Two of the tanks are safe but a third tank is leaking. As a result heavy gases have engulfed the whole area, making the operation more difficult.

Lloyd's List reported that the vessel was carrying more than 67,000 tonnes of crude oil when it ran aground close to Karachi several days ago.

The authorities are now trying to protect the coastline but a huge slick of oil has already hit the shore. Eyewitnesses say hundreds of fish and turtles are lying dead on the beaches. About 19,000 tonnes of crude oil have been transferred from the tanker since last week, but officials have now given up trying to save the vessel.

They fear that the Maltese registered vessel, which was chartered by Pakistan's national shipping corporation, may explode as it sinks.

The salvage operation has now been abandoned and the crew have been evacuated. The Sindh government has declared an emergency and a large number of law enforcement agencies have been deployed around the beach area to prevent any mishap. In addition a sand wall is being built to stop oil spillage to the area.

The stranded oil tanker is now carrying about 40,000 tons of crude oil as more than 19,000 have already been taken out through two lighter vessels. The law enforcement authorities in the area have also closed the 14 kilometre coastline to the public. About 1,000 policemen were deployed to close the roads leading up to the beach.

An aircraft loaded with pollution control equipment, including booms from England, and a C-130 aircraft from Singapore with 10 tonnes of chemical dispersant have reached the area. The authorities are saying that every effort is being made to save the marine ecosystem and overall environment along the coastal line, and as such people should not be alarmed.

The International Tankers Association, federal and provincial governments in the area and their respective environmental protection agencies, fisheries department and maritime security agency have all been informed about the situation.