Progress on the bulk carrier NS Qingdao salvage operation
1 February 2022
Anton Bredell, Western Cape Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning was today briefed on the current situation of the NS Qingdao bulk cargo ship.
“Nobody wants to hear that the ocean is being used as a dumping site, but in this case, all the relevant authorities are working together to minimize the risks to prevent a potential environmental disaster if left unchecked,” Bredell said.
Early in January the NS Quindao was authorised by the National Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) and the South African Maritime Safety Authorities (SAMSA) to commence with a controlled dumping of unstable chemical cargo 250km off the West Coast of South Africa. This was done to protect the integrity of the ship, and to prevent a full-scale disaster where the ship might have broken up due to an onboard fire, potentially polluting our coastline with its cargo as well as the fuel it carried.
The ship was brought into the port of Saldanha Bay over this past weekend. Approximately 1300 tons of cargo was dumped during the offshore exercise, and this has resulted in the onboard fire being brought under control. The emergency has now been downscaled from a Severe Maritime Emergency to a salvage operation that can be safely managed in port.
Bredell said that since Monday morning, 12 skips of 5 tons each, has already been successfully transferred to the Vissershok High Hazardous Waste Management site, with another 12 planned for tomorrow.
According to Bredell, this situation is a good example of a national situation which has a direct local impact. As such, the Western Cape Government is in full cooperation with the national authorities who are responsible for the management of this situation. The WC Department of Environmental Affairs has been part of the Joint Operations Committee from the start of the operation as early as December when the cargo became unstable, and the ship had to be towed out to sea.
The decision to bring the vessel back to harbour was taken by SAMSA and supported by DFFE representatives, who conducted a vessel inspection offshore to determine whether it was safe to do so and after reviewing reports from the Chemical and Fire specialists onboard. Transnet National Port Authority has provided a berth for the vessel and is confident that it is safe for the vessel to dock in the port.
Bredell said that the National Environmental Management Act, as well as the National Environmental Management: Waste Act, are applicable, and as such the Provincial Department of Environmental Affairs has a supporting and oversight role to play. “We want to be sure that all safety protocols are being adhered to, and that the salvage operation is done in a safe and responsible manner.”
Bredell said he is pleased to note that SAMSA and the DFFE are in discussions with the vessel owner and insurers to arrange a medium to long term environmental monitoring program so that any potential future impacts can be managed responsibly as fast as possible. The cause of the incident is still under investigation and a chemical analysis of the cargo is being conducted to determine the underlying factors for the fire and whether the vessel had any undeclared cargo in the hold.
Issued by Wouter Kriel, Spokesperson for Minister Anton Bredell, Western Cape Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning, 1 February 2022
