The Government of Mauritius activated its national oil spill contingency plan and, on 7 August, declared a state of environmental emergency and called for international help. At 1am on July 25, 2020, in Tokyo, Junichiro Ikeda, then-CEO of shipping company Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL), was most likely already in bed. The global ocean shipping industry is responsible for transporting 90 percent of goods and is projected to account for 17 percent of global emissions by 2050, while excluding itself from the Paris Agreement. Two weeks after the incident, the Mauritian government declared the incident a national emergency, calling on help from around the world with clean-up efforts. For instance, oil destroys the insulating ability of fur-bearing mammals, such as sea otters. There are many other examples throughout history where countries have been affected by natural disasters, including earthquakes and tsunamis. 21 December 2021 Mauritius oil spill Greenpeace The spill sparked an ecological emergency in the area By Yasine Mohabuth BBC News, Mauritius The captain and first officer of a ship that. "There is other evidence of ongoing and increasing exposures to hydrocarbons over time in economically and environmentally important species like golden tilefish, grouper and hake.". Mauritius is a biodiversity hotspot with a high concentration of plants and animals unique to the region. Some of the largest oil spills did not have a major impact because they occurred far offshore. Do you want to, We use cookies to enhance your experience. Compensation for the #MauritiusOilSpill must be directly given to the people of Mauritius, rather than held back by the government or by the shipping company responsible.Sign our petition to ensure that such a disaster never happens again >> https://t.co/M9EqPMJ3iR pic.twitter.com/YVEiUatIJg. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. This designation would ensure that ships transiting the region would avoid passing through Mauritiuss waters. Mauritius oil spill: Three clean-up crew die after boat capsizes Both habitats tend to flourish where waves and tides are gentle. Even the Pope got involved, calling for nature to be better respected. In 1978, a large crude oil carrier ran aground off the coast of Brittany, France, which leaked nearly 70 million gallons of oil into the sea. But perhaps there are brighter days ahead. Releasing chemical dispersants helps break down oil into smaller droplets, making it easier for microbes to consume, and further break it down into less harmful compounds. In addition to the Performance cookies mentioned above, we may also place in your browser cookies from third-party services (e.g. The ship, MV Wakashio, ran aground at Pointe d'Esny in late July, and oil began leaking from it last Thursday. While BP and MOL have quickly moved on from what happened on July 25, many Mauritians continue to live with the toxic consequences of the disaster. In the years following an oil spill, growth and reproduction is reduced, leaving less live coral on reefs. As the ship slowly broke apart in the middle of August, Mauritiuss waters and shorelines became drenched in almost 1,000 tonnes of toxic fuel, destroying the livelihood of countless fishermen and tourism workers. To obtain These cookies are used to recognise you between successive visits and thus provide you with a better experience, storing your consent preferences and the last Greenpeace.org website visited. The MV Wakashio ran aground at Pointe d'Esny, a known sanctuary for rare wildlife. On July 25, a Japanese-owned, Panamanian-flagged 300-metre long bulk carrier crashed into coral reefs mere kilometres from Pointe dEsny, a village on the south-east coast. COVID-19, oil spill in Mauritius highlight the vulnerabilities of Small One of the best immediate assessments of the spill has come via Earth observation assets. Dont look away from the people of Yemen and the Red Sea. With actionable Earth observations, the NASA Earth Science Applied Sciences Program empowerscommunities across the world to find solutions to the challenges they face every day. So, it's the location rather than the size of the spill which is causing greatest concern about its potentially serious environmental impact. Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter what matters in science, free to your inbox daily. Bruneau Laurette is a Mauritian social activist. In spite of this, coral reefs are resilient ecosystems and can recover to pre-disaster conditions over several decades, as long-term research following an oil spill in 1986 off the coast of Panama showed. This particular incident also affected larger species quite drastically, as almost 50 whales were seen washed up on the beach in one week alone. Washed up, it effectively smothers any organism it touches, including corals, fish and seabirds, while toxic compounds accumulate in their tissues. "The wind and the water currents are not helping, they are taking the oil towards the areas that have vital marine ecosystems," Sunil Mokshananda, a former Greenpeace strategist, who is on an island near the oil-spill site, told the BBC. You can also search for this author in PubMed The recent oil spill off the island of Mauritius has brought the dangers of moving large quantities of oil by sea back under the spotlight. The removed fuel has been transferred to shore by helicopter and to another ship owned by the same Japanese firm. Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth said in recent days that more than 3,000 of the 4,000 tonnes of oil from the ship's fuel reservoirs had been pumped out. Once a year, at full moon, the sea turns into a glittering canvas of eggs and sperm, released by corals, in one of natures incredible underwater shows. The MV Wakashio oil spill occurred after the Japanese bulk carrier Wakashio ran aground on a coral reef on 25 July 2020 at around 16:00 UTC. The MV Wakashio oil spill is a tragedy that happened in August of 2020. And the Mauritian economy is all about them. There has been no assessment of the ecological damage. Scientific studies from past oil spills show that oil compounds tend to accumulate more in shellfish and to a lesser extent in the muscles of fish. From 1970 to 2019, half of large spills were in open seas, and more than half of these were when a ship hit another vessel or ran aground or was damaged by hitting something under water. Seagrass form underwater plains of flowering plants. The lack of robust science being used in response to the oil spill in Mauritius is a fallout over how environmental, ocean and climate science were dismissed under Abe and now Suga. As soon as oil enters the ocean, lighter compounds in the fuel . Explained: How severe was the Mauritius oil spill? including skimming, in situ burning and by releasing chemical dispersants. Within hours of the spill, Ile aux Aigrettes, a coraline islet, had been surrounded by oil. Akihiko Ono, the executive vice-president of the ship's operator, Mitsui OSK Lines, has "profusely" apologised for the spill and for "the great trouble we have caused". Mauritius oil spill: Three clean-up crew die after boat capsizes Containing the spill with booms or collecting the oil while it is on the surface with skimmers can help stop it spreading. Last week, Mr Jugnauth declared a state of emergency and appealed for international help. With the devastated lagoon,its a lifetime, a whole culture that collapses., Even the Pope offered prayers for Mauritius and expressed concern for their environmental disaster.. 1 September 2020 Reuters Search and rescue teams, along with fishermen, are combing the area for the missing crew member Three sailors have died and one is missing after their tugboat capsized. One year later, there has been no transparency about the exact kind of oil that was leaked or why the front section of the ship was sunk instead of being towed away and recycled. Coral reefs, seagrasses and mangroves make Mauritian waters extraordinarily rich in biodiversity. But of those 60, just 10 incidents accounted for more than 90% of the oil spilt. It now turns out that Mauritius' claims for damages caused by the August oil spill could top $10 billion. The ship's captain will assist officers with their search. There has been no disclosure of the necropsies conducted on the whale and dolphin carcasses. The grounding last month of the MV Wakashio in an environmentally . It also decreases the water repellency of birds feathers, without which they lose their ability to repel cold water. A few days later, the giant vessel, operated by MOL, began leaking its fuel, supplied by BP, into a pristine lagoon within the maritime borders of the East African country. Most of the fuel had already been pumped out, officials said, but on Saturday the ship's condition worsened. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. There is a lot of research that needs to be done in order to understand the magnitude and severity of the situation. Hisayo Takada is Programme Director at Greenpeace Japan. As it was approaching the southern coast of Mauritius, it ran aground onto a coral reef. The opposite seems the case. The Rise And Fall Of Japan Over The Deadly Mauritius Oil Spill - Forbes The US analytics company Ursa Space Systems has looked at the situation using radar data from the Finnish Iceye satellites, which are especially effective at picking out oil on water. France has sent a military aircraft with pollution control equipment from its nearby island of Runion to help with the Mauritian spill, while Japan has sent a six-member team to assist the French efforts. Earlier this year, the Mauritius government took steps to request from the IMO the designation of its territorial waters as a particularly sensitive sea area, as proposed by Greenpeace. Internet Explorer). Marine biologists say that is enough for the long term consequences of the entire marine life - from coral reefs, to mangroves to endangered animals and birds. Read about our approach to external linking. Floods and cyclones will continue to strike and extreme heat will continue to kill. The devastating oil spill came about after a tanker owned by Nagashiki Shipping Co. and operated by Mitsui OSK Lines called MV Wakashio ran aground on a coral reef in the Indian Ocean on 25 July, while en route from China to Brazil. The Indian Express website has been rated GREEN for its credibility and trustworthiness by Newsguard, a global service that rates news sources for their journalistic standards. In the past year, BP has seen profits drop and bounce back up, mostly due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy, while MOL has maintained its status as Japans second-largest shipowner. The Mauritian prime minister's announcement that almost all the remaining oil from the Japanese-owned ship has been pumped out certainly comes as good news. Almost all the fuel oil from the Japanese-owned ship that has caused a huge oil spill off the coast of Mauritius has been pumped out, Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth has said. Earlier, police chief Khemraj Servansing said that cracks in the ship "keep increasing". Thank you for visiting nature.com. The International Disasters Charterwas activated for this event, and the NASA Earth Applied Sciences Disasters Program has activated to determine what NASA resources and capabilities may be available to support recovery efforts. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The accident caused 1,000 tons of fuel oil to leak from the vessel and pollute an area spanning more than 400 m deep. If we do, world leaders and the IMO will continue to act with complacency, without challenging the business model of giants like BP and MOL. This improvement, according to Naa Sackeyfio of the ITOPF, is down to tighter regulation and improvements in safety standards. Read about our approach to external linking. "It is difficult to say when it will break but we have a boom deployment plan with the French Navy helping and we have made provisions for high sea booms," he said. More than 1,000 tonnes of oil has leaked into waters near Mauritius. The Wakashio oil spill in Mauritius - what happened and lessons learnt Within a month, about 2,000 tonnes of oil mixed with sea water or sand and soil had been carted away. "It is interesting to observe that the amount of oil spilt in just a few years in earlier decades was greater than the total of all the oil spilt this decade," says the ITOPF. Satellite images showed the moment the MV Wakashio began breaking up on Saturday, Communities have rallied together to protect their island, Satellite imagery on Wednesday showed booms placed along shorelines (arrows) to protect them from oil, The MV Wakashio ran aground on a coral reef, Africa Live: News and views from the continent, tubes with tights and hair to add to the effort, The men who don't want to fight for Ukraine, Trudeau slams Facebook over wildfire news ban, Wagner making Africa more free, says Prigozhin, Ukrainian drone destroys Russian supersonic bomber, Baggage mountains fall as airlines improve handling, Ukrainian drones downed over Moscow region - Russia, Biden tours 'overwhelming' Hawaii wildfire damage. However, such disasters can become a green turning point. Mauritius oil spill: how coral reefs, mangroves and seagrass could be By August 5th observers spotted some minor oil sheen around the vessel. On a somewhat cloudy evening, the island nation was struck by the worst environmental disaster in its . "There will also be soluble compounds from the oil that will dissolve in the water, a mousse-like layer underneath the surface of the water, and then very heavy residues on the bed - so the entire marine ecosystem will be affected.". In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles Mauritius oil spill highlights importance of adopting latest - UNCTAD This story was originally posted by Al Jazeera. The oil spill has only compounded the distress. The Mauritius oil spill has been in the news repeatedly and rightly so, for various reasons - the biggest being that it has endangered world-renowned coral reefs and lagoons. Tenure-Track Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor, Faculty Positions in Chemical Biology, Westlake University, Faculty Positions in Immunology and Microbiology, Westlake University, Faculty Positions in Neurobiology, Westlake University, Global Recruitment for Principal Investigator in Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory. As soon as oil enters the ocean, lighter compounds in the fuel evaporate and the surrounding air can become toxic to wildlife and even harmful to human health. We use tracking and analysis tools to ensure continuous optimisation and demand-oriented design of our website. Two weeks later, on 7 August, a plan to re-float the vessel and pump out its 4,000 tonnes of diesel and oil failed, leading to an oil spill. Mauritius oil spill: MV Wakashio ship captain found guilty - BBC Mauritius oil spill likely to be cleaned up by January, ship - CNN Melita Steele is Programme Director at Greenpeace Africa. Despite bad weather, Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth said all the oil has now been removed from the ship's fuel reservoirs, although a small amount remains on board elsewhere. TOKYO (Reuters) - The clean-up of a massive oil spill in August from a vessel off Mauritius will likely be mostly completed by January, the bulk carrier's owner, Japan's Nagashiki Shipping,. This would come at a much-needed time as the Indian Ocean island nation is likely . An essential round-up of science news, opinion and analysis, delivered to your inbox every weekday. The Mauritius oil spill is an example of how devastating a natural disaster can be for people and wildlife in the region. the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in and JavaScript. For example, local inhabitants can now earn stipends as they retrain to become eco-guides. A commercial crude ship ran aground off Frances coast in 1978 and leaked 70 million gallons into the ocean. Find out how by staying up-to-date on their latest projects and discoveries. Mauritius declared a state of environmental emergency. A French crew came first from nearby Runion and put in ocean booms. Deep water corals coated in oil experienced tissue swelling and ruptures. Around 200 miles of the French coast were polluted by the oil slick, and it killed millions of invertebrates, such as molluscs and crustaceans. Eventually, microbes will break down the remaining oil, but this may take many years. 12 August 2020 Jean Mary Garrett The oil spill has caused an environmental disaster in Mauritius Almost all the fuel oil from the Japanese-owned ship that has caused a huge oil spill. As tourism was impacted, many people in the south-east turned to the sea to make ends meet. The recent MV Wakashio spill off Mauritius - although it didn't leak a huge amount of oil - is near two protected marine ecosystems and a wetland of international importance. When the cargo ship MV Wakashio ran aground on a coral reef on the southeast tip of Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean almost exactly a month ago, it unleashed a vast oil spill. Mauritius Oil Spill 2020 | NASA Applied Sciences But these occur differently in freshwater and marine environments, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notes in a report on oil spills. Wakashio Grounding and Oil Spill: Was the Mauritian - gCaptain There is, however, a big problem with the available data. Your email address will not be published. The wreck of the bulk carrier ship began leaking oil in front of a nature reserve island (Ile aux Aigrettes), a couple of kilometres from a marine park (Blue Bay), and close to an internationally important wetland area (Pointe dEsny Ramsar Site). Furthermore, the creatures can be poisoned by swallowing the oil residue. It's worth noting that some of the biggest maritime oil spills have not involved ships at all. The Mauritius coast guard and several police units are also at the site in the south-east of the island. The Wakashio, one of the worlds largest capesize bulk carriers, was making its way from China to Brazil, passing through the Indian Ocean. The spill has been described by experts as the worst ecological disaster affecting the western Indian Ocean. Coast guard vessels have been positioned in the area. People from all over the country helped build makeshift booms to slow the oils spread, and joined clean-up groups. Read about our approach to external linking. A stricken ship off the coast of Mauritius which has already leaked about 1,000 metric tons of oil into a pristine Indian Ocean lagoon could be about to break in two, experts fear - spelling . Clean-up efforts often take years to complete, and there are many steps to take in order to clean up an oil spill. "Even a single spill is one too many. They are another kind of nursery refuge for ocean life, but, like mangroves, they struggle to recover from oil pollution. Despite those initial positive signs, things are certainly not back to normal. After the disaster, Mr Ikeda of MOL rushed to apologise and pledged that the Wakashio incident must never be allowed to happen again. France has sent a military aircraft with pollution-control equipment from its nearby island of Runion, while Japan has sent a six-member team to assist the French efforts. A Japanese ship named M V Wakashio, which is owned by Nagashiki Shipping and operated by Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd, struck a coral reef resulting in an oil spill of over 1,000 tonnes into the Indian Ocean. Japanese firm Nagashiki Shipping has pledged to respond to requests for compensation. They protect coastlines from storms and erosion. Fearing that the spill could lead to a collapse of avian populations, conservationists battled oil fumes to evacuate nearly two dozen birds. In light of the recent marine oil spill that occurred off the coast of Mauritius (Indian Ocean), we comment here the incident, the containment method used by the local population, the biological impact of oil spill on two sensitive tropical marine ecosystems (coral reefs and mangrove forests), and we suggest monitoring and restoration techniques. At the same time in London, Bernard Looney, CEO of British Petroleum (BP), was probably enjoying a most pleasant weekend. There are fewer people on the shores because of the unusually cool winter and Covid-19 restrictions. Only 73 of them were in the wild on Ile aux Aigrettes before the rescue operation. BBC World Service environment correspondent Navid Singh Khadka says a spill three times the size of this was averted. These cookies will allow us to collect statistical and anonymised data, such as how visitors use our website or which pages are accessed most frequently, to ultimately improve Greenpeace.org and provide you with a better experience of our website. Take action These are dismal examples of the dysfunctions of the shipping and fossil fuel industries and the failure of world governments to regulate them. Greenpeace Africa has warned that "thousands" of animal species were "at risk of drowning in a sea of pollution, with dire consequences for Mauritius' economy, food security and health". "Even relatively small volumes of oil can spread widely and cause a major impact, especially if they occur close to shore in calm weather and in sensitive marine habitats," says David Santillo, a scientist with Greenpeace. It is believed to have started when a cargo ship called MV Wakashio lost power and drifted into a reef off Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean. It found a 27 sq km spill by 11 August. Mitsui . In 2016, a United States Geological Survey (USGS)-NASA study found that the 2010 oil spill led to widespread shoreline loss along the heavily oiled areas along Louisianas coast. Mauritius declares emergency as ship leaks oil, Ex-Thai PM Thaksin jailed after return from exile, Trump says he will be arrested on Thursday in Georgia, Japan to release Fukushima water in 48 hours, Why bad news is good news for Trump - for now, How the West is losing influence in Africa, Why did England hero Earps go viral? But if the past year is anything to go by, there is at least hope that things will get better. Read about our approach to external linking. Bad weather in the two weeks after the incident forced the vessel to retreat to the coral reef. We seek exceptional candidates to lead vigorous independent research programs working in any area of neurobiology. At the time of the oil spill, Mauritius was considered 'COVID-19 safe,' meaning there were no locally transmitted cases. The accident happened two days after major protests in Mauritius over the government's handling of the clean up. He has vowed that the company would do "everything in their power to resolve the issue". On July 25, 2020, the oil tanker MV Wakashio, reported to be carrying nearly 4,000 metric tons of oil, ran aground on a coral reef on the island of Mauritius's southeast coast. The ship, believed to have been carrying 4,000 tonnes of fuel oil, ran aground on a coral reef on 25 July. Remembering Mauritius's worst environmental disaster On July 25, 2020, the oil tanker MV Wakashio, reported to be carrying nearly 4,000 metric tons of oil, ran aground on a coral reef on the island of Mauritiuss southeast coast. Not only did the initial accident cause an environmental disaster, but the Mauritius oil spill also had an incredibly botched clean-up job, that claimed the lives of humans and more than 50 whales. Since then, volunteers have also been collecting straw from fields and filling sacks to make barriers against the oil. Our program areas, projects and initiatives help tackle challenges on our home planet. A thread 6 months ago, the Japanese vessel MV Wakashio began leaking fuel after crashing into an incredibly fragile coral reef near Mauritius.https://t.co/g96hopOSUd : Rajiv Chroochurn#MauritiusOilSpill pic.twitter.com/iQHUZANQGI. Read about our approach to external linking. The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is also considered to be among the largest known accidental oil spills in history. Currently, there are many devastating ongoing spills in the world," Tal Harris of Greenpeace told the BBC. The MV Wakashio, which spilled more than 1,000 tonnes of fuel oil off Mauritius, has split apart. Others which were not quite as large - such as the Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska - caused huge damage because of where they occurred. Mauritius oil spill: Fears grow that stricken ship could break apart Mauritius was one of the first African countries to finalize in 1990 an oil spill contingency plan with support from the International Maritime Organization and the UN Environment Programme. We found the crickets again in February, said Dr Vikash Tatayah, conservation director at the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, an independent NGO. Anatomy Of An Oil Spill: Mauritius Insurance Claim Could Top - Forbes Video, Watch: Thaksin's return to Thailand from exile, Trump says he will be arrested on Thursday in Georgia, The men who don't want to fight for Ukraine, Wagner making Africa more free, says Prigozhin, The red Lahaina house that survived Maui fires, Baggage mountains fall as airlines improve handling, Ukrainian drones downed over Moscow region - Russia, Ukrainian drone destroys Russian supersonic bomber, Trudeau slams Facebook over wildfire news ban. 2023 BBC. Opinions The devastation of the Mauritius oil spill is still unaddressed The Mauritian government, shipping corporations and international institutions must take urgent action. Even more encouragingly, young Mauritians are now organising to protect their islands wetlands, trees, and mangroves. They managed to contain and remove nearly 75% of the oil, but the largest problem is that the oil has water-soluble substances that dilute into the water without scooping up the sediments. As oil is less dense than salt water, it floats and forms a thin film on the surface. A man scoops leaked oil from the vessel 'MV Wakashio' that ran aground near Blue Bay Marine Park off the coast of Mauritius, in August, 2020. In order for our global society to live in harmony with nature we need a more sustainable future. Beaches in Mauritius have been badly affected by the oil spill, The Amoco Cadiz spilled more than 220,000 tonnes of oil off the French coast in 1978, Seals stuck in a slick created by the Exxon Valdez in Alaska in 1989, Castillo De Bellver off South Africa (1983), Source: International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation data, is thought to have leaked more than 1,000 tonnes of oil in an environmentally sensitive area, International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation (ITOPF). The government of Mauritius sent a formal request for support to the U.S. State Department which led to the activation of the U.S. National Response Team (NRT), for which the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is the lead science agency. The "the risk of oil spill was still low", the minister argued. This ensures a steady flow of nutrients between them. Mauritius oil spill: A Japanese ship named M V Wakashio, which is owned by Nagashiki Shipping and operated by Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd, struck a coral reef resulting in an oil spill of over 1,000 tonnes into the Indian Ocean. Mauritius oil spill highlights importance of global maritime laws: UN
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