ITOPF’s Spill Response During the Pandemic

COVID-19: A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE?
Richard H. Johnson, Technical Director

Petroleum Association of Japan Symposium

22 Feb 2022

Challenge: Providing a safe working environment

ITOPF Emergency Response During COVID-19

Borderclosures

Additional risk
assessments

Flight options –commercial andprivate charter.

Appropriate
PPE

Response
arrangements under
COVID-19

Buddy systemon siteSupport & medicalcare in-country

Technical advisors
in good health

Awareness ofquarantine rulesin UK and abroad

In-country travel
options

Remote working
in hotel onarrivalITOPF Emergency Response During COVID-19• Remote advice unaffected by COVID-19• Mobilisation• full risk assessments• associated restrictions addressed• PPE sourced• Dynamic/ever changing situations• Country-specific – rules and regs change• Threshold of incident – quarantine• Rotation duration• Transboundary - multiple personnel

SPILLRESPONSE
ITOPF Remote Advice in COVID-19 Era (Jan 2020- present)

83 Remote Advice/Information Cases

A SYMPHONY c/w SEA JUSTICE, Qingdao, PRChina, 27th April 2021
• Suezmax – 150,000 DWT• 9,500 MT (one tank)• Oil type – unknown• 1200 + fishing vessels at sea (>7 weeks +)• 32 SPRO’s• Covid restrictions – no ITOPF entry• ITOPF heavily involved remotely• CLC limit – circa US$ 74 million• Environmental damage?
• Fisheries?

A SYMPHONY – Remote Advice
Remote Sensing (MMM group)••

Assisted with satellite imagery interpretation
Instructed surveyors to ground truthing where the images indicated shoreline oiling.

LaoshanTou

A SYMPHONY – Remote Advice
Remote Modelling•

Provided Gnome outputs
to assist planning•Aerial surveillance
recommended by ITOPF
Qingdao

LaoshanTou

Chaolian Is.

Lingshan Is.

A SYMPHONY – at sea pollution /response• Adsorbent mis-use• Dispersant mis-use

ITOPF provided advice throughcorrespondents/surveyors to MSA

A SYMPHONY – Remote Advice
Remote Surveying (MMM)•

ITOPF’s templates provided toshoreline surveyors

ITOPF History••••

Built on apps/platform usedin previous incidents
Ever – evolving/improving
Long distances – multiple
surveyors, not just ITOPF
How to share information

7th June 2021
70kmA SYMPHONY – Remote Advice
Remote Clean-up Advice••

ITOPF technical guidance notes
provided to response teams
Completed ITOPF survey reports- confirmed contamination- showed techniques used approx. 70 km contaminatedshoreline
 manual and mechanical clean-up
methodologies
 Clean-up appeared to be mostly
technically reasonable

7th June 2021
70km

A SYMPHONY – Remote Advice
Remote Mapping (MMM)•

Use of GIS platform to assist
planning/monitoring

7th June 2021
70km

A SYMPHONY – shoreline pollution /responseWeChat

ITOPF Spills Attended in COVID-19 Era (Jan 2020- present)
Name of ship

Location

Nature ofincident

GTDWTProductspilt

Volume spilt

10 Oct ‘17

MSC SUSANNA

Durban, South Africa

Lost containers

107,849

117,095

Nurdles49.5 MT08 Sept ‘19

GOLDEN RAY

Brunswick River, Georgia, USA

Grounding

71,17820,995 Bunker/cargo

unknown

04 Jan ‘20

STONE I*

Enstead Oil Terminal, Denmark

Other

23,24837,889LSVGO

Unknown

26 Feb ‘20

STELLAR BANNER

Maranhão State, Brazil

Grounding

151,596

300,660

VLSFO

Unknown

23 Mar ‘20

KAAMI

Isle of Skye, Scotland, UKGrounding

2,715

4,293

MGO

<63 MT25 Jul ‘20

WAKASHIO

Off Pointe D’Esny, Maurituis

Grounding

101,932

203,130

VLSFO

1,000 MT

03 Sep '20

NEW DIAMOND*South coast of Sri Lanka

Explosion/fire

160,079

299,986

VLSFO,LSMGOUnknown

18 Aug ‘20

South Africa
incident

West & Eastern Cape South Africa

Lost containers

Nurdles

7 containers –175 MT

12 Feb ‘21

AM GHENTPort of Gibraltar

Bunkering ops

51,265

93,168VLSFO

0.85MT

20 May‘21

X-PRESS PEARL

Nr Colombo, Sri Lanka

Fire andsinking

31,62936,150

DG, Nurdles,Oilunknown

28 Aug ‘21

SEABIRD

Myrtoan Sea, GreeceSinking

4,337

7,650

VLSFO

unknown

15 Jan’21

MARE DORICUM

Callao, Peru

Discharge ops

81,499158,319

Buzios crude
oil

1,000 MT

Date ofincident

SPILLRESPONSE
ITOPF Spills Attended in COVID-19 Era (Jan 2020- present)

SPILLRESPONSE
ITOPF On-site attendance and Remote advice cases (2010-2021)
3560

Sharp rise
Covid-19 factor

3050

2540
2030
1520
1010502011

2012

2013

2014
Attended (Tanker)

2015

2016

2017

Attended (Non-Tanker)

2018

2019

Remote Advice2020

2021

0

900

819800700

S PI L L -DAY S
10 Years

678603590

600506500
400

I TO P F

550 days /year pre-COVID-19507
469376348

362394300
200
10010102011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022*>825incidents

in100countries

Avg. 2 0spills/yr

ITOPF Spills Attended in COVID-19 Era (Jan 2020- present)

ITOPF Spills Attended in COVID-19 Era (Jan 2020- present)• 2000km of coastline

••
•
•
•
•
•
•
•

18th August 2020
34 nm off South Africa
31 containers were lost overboard
Seven contained nurdles
Each container ≈25 MT of nurdles
Several breached.
5th Oct. initial stranding
4th Nov. clean-up commence
Clean- up continues

WAKASHIOCASE STUDY• Capesize Bulk carrier- 101,932 GT- 203,130 DWT• In ballast• En route - Singapore to Brazil• Oil onboard:- 90 MT lube oil- 207 MT Low Sulphur Marine Gas Oil(LSMGO)- 3,894 MT Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil(VLSFO)GROUNDING AT
POINTE D’ESNY
25 JULY 2020

Source: MPF/PHSGROUNDING AT
POINTE D’ESNY
25 JULY 2020

Source: MPF/PHSGROUNDING AT
POINTE D’ESNY
25 JULY 2020

Source: MPF/PHSGROUNDING AT
POINTE D’ESNY25 JULY 2020

Source: MPF/PHSREMOTE SENSING

AND MODELLINGCOVID-19. Travel to Site

• Initial remote advice on grounding
and response options• Provided regular modelling andsatellite imagery• Mobilised 11th August-Borders closed-

No commercial flights-

Via Paris and Reunion

-PCR

-

Chartered flight-

Airport opened specifically• COVID-19 Delayed permissions

INITIAL RESPONSE AT SEA

Source: MPF/PHS

Source: Polyeco

Source: AFP

Source: Polyeco

Source: Polyeco

ROLE OFI TO P F• Initial remote advice• Provided regular modelling & satellite imagery• Mobilised –delay due to COVID & permissions• Aerial surveillance• Shoreline surveys• Objective technical advice- in command centre & NCC (National Crisis Centre)- P&I, stakeholders, IMO interaction• Significant international involvement• ITOPF drafted detailed response plan
• Divided sites between contractors-Le Floch & Polyeco - Local workforce (~500 people)• Five months on-site• Claims/damage analysis ongoing

SHORELINES E G M E N TAT I O NSHORELINECONTAMINATIONSHORELINECONTAMINATIONVLSFOB E H AV I O U R• Viscosity: 34 cSt at 50°C when fresh• Low viscosity maintained for months• Less sticky than conventional fuels• Permeated deep into sandy sediment• Infiltrated mangrove mud via animalburrows and root network

ITOPF Images

SHORELINE
CLEANUP TECHNIQUES• Manual collection• High volume low pressure flushing• Hot water high pressure washing

Image Sources: Various NGOs, by Social MediaSHORELINE
CLEANUP TECHNIQUES• Manual collection• High volume low pressure flushing• Hot water high pressure washing

ITOPF Images

KEYISSUES• Remobilisation• Improvised boom
• Boom failure• Coral damage• Waste collection• COVID

Source: MPF/PHSCOVID-19. Limitations on-site
CHANGING REGULATIONS• Border closed to foreigners and returning residents in Aug• In isolation until results of 1st PCR test returned negative• Accompanied by Health Inspectors during daily activities• Rules on social distancing & PPE: mask, gloves, Tyvek suit
• In quarantine hotel until results of 14-day PCR test
• Regulations changed in late August to mandatory 8-day quarantine• Country opened in September- mandatory in-room isolation for 8 days(still in quarantine for 14)• In November - 14 day in room isolation due to a local case of Covid• Covid +ve: Communal ward in govt centre pending two –ve results,beyond 14 days, antibody test required.

X-PRESS PEARLCASE STUDYX-PRESS PEARL, Colombo, Sri Lanka• Journey: Hazira, India to Colombo, Sri Lanka• Incident: Nitric acid fire
• Date: 20th May 2021
• Location: 10 km from shore, Port of Colombo.
• No. of containers: 1,486• Container contents: 81 DG – 15 products, (nitricacid, sodium hydroxide, methanol), plastic
nurdles, machinery, h’ hold goods, food.
• Containers with plastics (nurdles): 422• Containers overboard: unknown• Oil on board: 255 M3 VLSFO & 50 M3 MGO• Immediate pollution: fire, smoke, fumes,
containers in water, plastics stranding in hrs• Oil: No immediate release. Then slight sheen.
Bunkers transferred/burned in fire of 800-900 °C

Overview

Overview

X-PRESS PEARL, Colombo, Sri Lanka
ITOPF logistics:• Notified by Sri Lanka Coastguard• In contact with P&I club very early• Heavily involved remotely• NEW DIAMOND experience• Covid restrictions – complete Lockdown
₋ Reassurance needed/met that we could survey/joinmeetings (otherwise no better than working remotely)₋ No commercial flights (1st June changed)
₋ No quarantine needed₋ UK Red List, so hotel quarantine on return – mitigated₋ Self isolation in country (+ve exposure)₋ Risk assessments₋ Remain on site (Nine months continuous. Two people)
₋ Extended (Two month stays)

Overview

X-PRESS PEARL, Colombo, Sri Lanka
ITOPF immediate actions:• Cargo manifest – identified DG• Characterised, provided info on fate and behaviour• Modelled – aerial plume, trajectories of DG, potential oil,containers
ITOPF arrival• Date: 2nd June 2021 (COVID-19 effects)
Initial Players/actors• Authorities: Attorney General, Sri Lanka Navy and Coast
Guard, India assistance. MEPA, NARA
• Shipside: Club and correspondent• Salvage: Smit initially (sank 20m), Resolve forcaretaking/containers (Monsoon). Wreck removal….
• Clean up contractors: ITOPF facilitated OSRL thru clubOverview

X-PRESS PEARL, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Other parties/issues• Govt requested international assistance - urgent• But unclear what was needed• British High Commission asked ITOPF for assistance• UK MCA, CEFAS• UNEP involvement, EU task force (Cedre/ISPRA)• EMSA• Numerous contractors/manufacturers in contact• ITOPF assisted drawing up plans and requirements

Nurdle Spill….

What are Nurdles?

• Pre-production resin pellets• Raw building blocks of all plastic
products• Different polymers, shapes, sizes andcolours• Typically:• less than 5mm in diameter• 0.024-0.025 g in weightTransportation

1 x Nurdle =~0.025g
1 x Bag = 25kg
1 Bag = ~1,000,000
Nurdles
1 x Container =~980 Bags
1 x Container =~25MT
1 x Container =~1,000,000,000
NurdlesNurdleSpill….
• Extentof Contamination• 150 km shoreline contamination• Burned debris & nurdles• A lot of material moved in early stages• 1000+ military personnel involved at heightExtent of contamination

Extent of contamination

Shoreline clean-up methods

Nurdlebergs

Shoreline clean-up methods

Shoreline clean-up methods

Manual recovery options….Trommels and Sieves

Shoreline clean-up methods

Nurdle Spill….

AFTERBEFORE• Shoreline at Sarakkuwa

Extent of Contamination• 300 km shoreline contamination• Burned debris & nurdles

Contamination

Length (Km)

Heavy

5.3

Medium

30.3

Light

260.4

None

81.3

Not Surveyed

271.1

Total

648.4

Fisheries

Salvage - containers
Reef assessment

Environmental Damage

Waste Management• 2,000+ x 1 tonne big bags of nurdles/sandROLE OFI TO P F• Initial remote advice on HNS and oil• Modelling and continued satellite imagery support• Mobilised on 1st June
(COVID restrictions – bio-bubble)• Objective technical advice• Work closely with MEPA, lead agency• Joint aerial surveillance for oil monitoring• Designed and implemented a shoreline
contamination survey• Designed shoreline clean-up plans• Waste• Advised authorities on submission of claims• Regular contact with P&I Club
• Fisheries Advice• Environmental Monitoring Advice

KEYISSUES• Politicised – affects decision making / operations• Media interest• Govt/Contractor led response?
• Nurdles – dispersion/remobilisation– long response• Toxicity? – unburnt/burnt - PAH’s, dioxins?
• WasteNot resolved (2000+ big bags – 1,100 MT+ solid)• Fisheries ban - extensive area, now much reduced• Environmental damage• Claims: US$ xx million (clean-up)
US$ xx million (17,000 fishermen)
US$??? (environment)• COVID-19• Ongoing ITOPF rotations

• Date: 15th January 2022
• Location: Port of El Callao, Peru
• Product spilled: Buzios crude oil (28,2° API)
• Amount spilled: approx. 1,450 t (official data)• Circumstances of the incident: during
discharging operations. Cause andresponsibility under investigation.

Name
Type of vessel
IMO
Gross tonnage
Deadweight
Flag
Year Built

MARE DORICUM
Oil Tanker
9446374
81,499158,319
Italy
2009

MARE DORICUM
PERU- 2022

Details of the incident

MARE DORICUMPERU - 2022
Resources impacted• Responsibility is still under investigation – liability
remains unclear• Approximately 50 km of shoreline impacted, including
islets and islands that belong to a UNESCO site
• Large stretches of inaccessible areas with floating
emulsified oil• More than 35 contractor companies on site
• Hundreds of fishermen and restaurant owners
affected

SPILLRESPONSE
ITOPF Spills in COVID-19 Era (Jan 2020- present)

ITOPF’s Spill Response During the Pandemic

COVID-19: A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE?
Richard H. Johnson, Technical DirectorPetroleum Association of Japan Symposium

22 Feb 2022