China rushes to stop oil spill's spread
Source: Xinhua |
July 21, 2010, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINA rushed to keep a growing oil spill from reaching international waters yesterday, as crude oil started pouring into the Yellow Sea off a busy northeastern port after a pipeline exploded late last week, sparking a massive 15-hour fire.
Officials say the slick has spread across a 180-square-kilometer stretch of ocean.
Authorities lifted a partial ban on maritime traffic in Dalian City yesterday, four days after explosions hit crude oil pipelines of the Xingang Port, causing a lingering oil spill that has spread to tourist beaches.
The Maritime Affairs Administration of Liaoning Province reported that the Dalian ports fully re-opened to traffic at 5pm as waterways affected by the oil slick were largely cleared for the resumption of shipping.
Authorities said they assisted about 420 vessels that were diverted to Dalian's ports during the past four days due to shipping restrictions brought on by the oil spill.
But local officials said oil shipments from Dalian, which lies at the heart of northeast China's crude oil production base and is considered the country's vital oil trans-shipment destination, would not be immediately restored.
Chinese petroleum companies' tankers have reduced oil shipments from Dalian to southern Chinese provinces while refineries roll back operations following the blasts and await the cleanup to be completed.
460 tons collected
The incident began when two crude pipelines exploded on Friday night in Dalian. The blasts caused an oil slick, forcing authorities to reroute maritime traffic during the cleanup.
The spill cleanup started on Saturday. By Monday morning, 24 oil clean-up vessels and 800 fishing boats had collected about 460 tons of oil.
But the operations were forced to scale back yesterday due to strong winds and heavy rains.
The State Oceanic Administration said late yesterday that two of Dalian's famed beach resorts, including the state-level tourist beach Jinshitan, had been polluted by drifting oil.
Dalian officials yesterday said they have mobilized 40 special oil-skimming vessels and about 800 fishing boats to mop up the major oil slick by this weekend.
"Our priority is to collect the majority of the spilled oil within five days to reduce the possibility of contaminating international waters," said Dai Yulin, vice mayor of Dalian City.
Maritime agencies and oil companies have laid down oil barriers of more than 15,000 meters to prevent the slick from spreading.
Biotechnicians, meanwhile, are using 23 tons of oil-eating bacteria to dissolve toxic compounds in the oil-polluted waters.
Officials say the slick has spread across a 180-square-kilometer stretch of ocean.
Authorities lifted a partial ban on maritime traffic in Dalian City yesterday, four days after explosions hit crude oil pipelines of the Xingang Port, causing a lingering oil spill that has spread to tourist beaches.
The Maritime Affairs Administration of Liaoning Province reported that the Dalian ports fully re-opened to traffic at 5pm as waterways affected by the oil slick were largely cleared for the resumption of shipping.
Authorities said they assisted about 420 vessels that were diverted to Dalian's ports during the past four days due to shipping restrictions brought on by the oil spill.
But local officials said oil shipments from Dalian, which lies at the heart of northeast China's crude oil production base and is considered the country's vital oil trans-shipment destination, would not be immediately restored.
Chinese petroleum companies' tankers have reduced oil shipments from Dalian to southern Chinese provinces while refineries roll back operations following the blasts and await the cleanup to be completed.
460 tons collected
The incident began when two crude pipelines exploded on Friday night in Dalian. The blasts caused an oil slick, forcing authorities to reroute maritime traffic during the cleanup.
The spill cleanup started on Saturday. By Monday morning, 24 oil clean-up vessels and 800 fishing boats had collected about 460 tons of oil.
But the operations were forced to scale back yesterday due to strong winds and heavy rains.
The State Oceanic Administration said late yesterday that two of Dalian's famed beach resorts, including the state-level tourist beach Jinshitan, had been polluted by drifting oil.
Dalian officials yesterday said they have mobilized 40 special oil-skimming vessels and about 800 fishing boats to mop up the major oil slick by this weekend.
"Our priority is to collect the majority of the spilled oil within five days to reduce the possibility of contaminating international waters," said Dai Yulin, vice mayor of Dalian City.
Maritime agencies and oil companies have laid down oil barriers of more than 15,000 meters to prevent the slick from spreading.
Biotechnicians, meanwhile, are using 23 tons of oil-eating bacteria to dissolve toxic compounds in the oil-polluted waters.
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