On Thursday, the New Diamond, a very large crude carrier (VLCC) chartered by the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) caught fire off the east coast of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean. The tanker was reportedly carrying two million barrels of oil and was on its way from Kuwait to the Indian port, Paradip, where state-run IOC has a 300,000 barrel-per-day refinery.
Sri Lankan navy spokesman, Indika de Silva, reported that the fire—which originally started in the engine room of the vessel—was under control and that though flames had spread to the New Diamond’s bridge, there was no damage to the cargo area. 22 of the 23 crew members—which included five Greek and 18 Philippine nationals—have been rescued, while one is missing and presumed dead, De Silva added.
While there have been no reports of any large-scale oil leakage, Sri Lankan authorities are deploying equipment to prevent pollution. De Silva urged the international community to help to combat the physical and environmental damage caused by the incident, while Terney Pradeep Kumara, the head of Sri Lanka’s Marine Environment Protection Authority, specifically called upon Indian authorities and international organizations to provide immediate assistance.
Colombo, on its part, has said that officials “are taking steps to mitigate and manage the risk and possible oil spills in the future due to this disaster.” An aircraft and two ships have also been deployed by the Sri Lankan military to help contain the fire. However, according to the Sri Lankan Air Force, several such attempts have been unsuccessful due to visibility issues because of the smoke. Dharshani Lahandapura, the Chairperson of Sri Lanka’s Marine Environment Protection Authority, in an interview with Bloomberg, said, “A slight oil leak is visible … We are analyzing the situation. It will be a huge disaster if the spill occurs.”
The Indian Coast Guard was quick to respond to the alert received regarding the fire. Four Indian ships and several aircraft were sent to assist the rescue operations. Indian and Sri Lankan efforts are also being supported by two Russian warships, who were parked at Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port.
@IndiaCoastGuard in a swift Sea & Air Coordinated #SAR operation immediately diverted #ICG Ships Shaurya, Sarang, Samudra Paheredar & Dornier Aircraft for #FireFighting on Oil Tanker #MTNewDiamond @DefenceMinIndia @MEAIndia pic.twitter.com/Ciud4QIN4w
— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) September 3, 2020
This disaster comes shortly after another such incident with the Japanese vessel MV Wakashio, which ran aground on the coast of Mauritius and spilled over 1,000 tons of oil into the ocean, damaging the islands lagoons, marine habitats, and beaches. However, unlike the accident in Mauritius, this one witnessed an expedited response by both the local government and the international community. The MV Wakashio, like the New Diamond, was also flagged in Panama, which is responsible for the largest number of ship registrations. This has raised several questions about the capability of Panama to oversee the registration process and ensure the safety of the vessels.