MTKR Terranova siphoning ops suspended due to Enteng —PCG

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Monday ordered the temporary suspension of the siphoning operation for sunken motor tanker Terranova in Limay, Bataan due to Tropical Storm Enteng.

In a statement, the PCG said “the contracted salvor, Harbor Star, secured all siphoning lines and containment equipment, closed all hot taps, and postponed the transfer of recovered oil waste.”

A total of 1,254,889 liters of oily waste were collected from MTRK Terranova from August 19 to September 1:

• August 19 - 2,350 liters
• August 20 - 36,100 liters
• August 21 - 42,026 liters
• August 22 - 81,136 liters
• August 23 - 17,103 liters
• August 24 - 121,724 liters
• August 25 - 101,603 liters
• August 26 - 104,202 liters
• August 27 - 67,871 liters
• August 28 - 32,187 liters
• August 29 - 97,011 liters
• August 30 - unloading of oily waste
• August 31 - 129,292 liters
• September 1 - 222,292 liters

The PCG noted that the collection from the MTKR Terranova was “oily waste” and not pure industrial fuel oil. The motor tanker was carrying 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel oil when it sank off Limay waters.

Harbor Star deployed more pumps for the siphoning operation and reported that the rate of oily waste flow on Sunday was 22,315 liters per hour.

As of Sunday, the PCG said around 698,000 liters of oily waste were loaded to trucks at Orion Shipyard for transport to a waste management facility in Marilao, Bulacan for proper disposal. No leaks were observed during the transfer of oil, according to the PCG.

PCG’s BRP Malamawi used a portable fire pump to address the oil sheen around the area where MTKR Terranova sank.

One crew member died and 16 others were rescued after MTKR Terranova capsized and sank 3.6 nautical miles east off Lamao Point in Limay town on July 25.

Aside from MTKR Terranova, the PCG also responded to the sunken MTKR Jason Bradley and grounded MV Mirola 1 in Bataan.

For MTKR Jason Bradley, the contracted salvor FES Challenger also suspended its operation, which now focuses on resealing and patching of the manhole and air vents for the refloating of the vessel.

“FES Challenger, MTKR Jason Bradley’s contracted salvor, also halted its operation, while the Coast Guard response team secured MV Mirola 1 moored at Diving Industry Shipyard, Barangay Alas-asin, Mariveles, Bataan,” the PCG said.

More than 2,400 people were stranded as Enteng affected the operations of different ports in the country on Monday, according to the PCG.

Most of the stranded people were reported in Eastern Visayas with 1,638, followed by Bicol with 750, and Southern Tagalog with 25.

Classes have been suspended in some Luzon and Visayas areas due to Enteng. In Metro Manila, government work has also been suspended.

Nine areas in Luzon are under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 as Enteng was slowly turning towards the east of Polillo Islands on Monday morning, state weather bureau PAGASA said.

Enteng was located 100 kilometers north northwest of Daet, Camarines Norte or 115 km east northeast of Infanta, Quezon, moving Northwestward at 15 km per hour, according to PAGASA.

The tropical storm was packing maximum sustained winds of 75 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph.—AOL, GMA Integrated News