MV Gulfstream is a capsized unpowered 449-foot (137 m) 60,000 bbl (9,500 m) double-hulled barge, part of an articulated tug and barge system, without a registration number. The vessel capsized on 7 February 2024 and was abandoned by the crew. It caused a huge spillage of oil in the Caribbean Sea.
History
In February 2024, the barge, carrying an estimated 35,000 barrels of fuel oil, capsized after running aground on a reef some 150 metres (490 ft) off the south coast of Tobago. The circumstances of the capsizing are not yet clear. The oil spill has spread to Grenada and could potentially affect Venezuela.
The Government of Trinidad and Tobago confirmed the situation and considered declaring a national emergency. It has reportedly affected the fishing and tourism industries. The National Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management (ODPM) said that the oil spill had affected around 15 kilometres (9 miles) of the coastline. Emergency workers were sent to run a major clean up operation. Authorities are attempting to pinpoint the ship's origin.
Farley Augustine, the Chief Secretary of Tobago, said: 'We need those responsible to come clean and we need those responsible to know that they have to pay for this mess, that they are culpable as part of this mess'.
This reportedly threatens an environmental catastrophe. According to Bellingcat, the barge may have started leaking oil on 7 February. The identity and whereabouts of the tug that was hauling the barge are not yet known. By 28 February, oil began to wash ashore on Bonaire in the Leeward Antilles. These beaches are hundreds of miles away from where the ship capsized.
On 21 August 2024, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago confirmed that the barge had been successfully re-floated.
References
- ^ Williams, Logan (2024-02-14). "Identifying the Mystery Vessel at the Site of Trinidad & Tobago's National Emergency Oil Spill". bellingcat. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
- ^ "Oil spill spreads across Caribbean from Tobago to Bonaire". BBC News. 2024-02-27. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
- "Trinidad government confirms fuel oil is leaking off Tobago's coast". Reuters. February 23, 2024.
- "Oil spill spreads across Caribbean to Bonaire". BBC News. 2024-02-27. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
- Staff (2024-02-15). "Tobago oil spill spreads to Grenada waters and could affect Venezuela". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
- "Trinidad and Tobago hit by mystery ship oil spill". BBC News. 2024-02-11. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
- Williams, Curtis (February 16, 2024). "Tobago's tourism, fishing hit as oil slick spreads across Caribbean". Reuters.
- Rios, Michael; Alvarado, Abel (2024-02-12). "Trinidad and Tobago declares 'national emergency' as oil spill from mystery vessel pollutes beaches". CNN. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
- "Photos: Mystery shipwreck causes disastrous oil spill off Trinidad". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
- "Mystery ship, contents identified: Tobago battles spill". Trinidad Express Newspapers. 2024-02-08. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
- "Trinidad and Tobago: overturned barge leaks oil into Caribbean Sea – video report". the Guardian. 2024-02-15. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
- Helmore, Edward (2024-02-12). "Trinidad & Tobago says oil spill from mystery vessel is national emergency". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
- "Olie aangespoeld op de kust van Bonaire, zorgen om milieuschade". nos.nl (in Dutch). 2024-02-27. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
- "Oil spill from capsized barge near Tobago has reached beaches hundreds of miles away, officials say". ABC News. February 28, 2024. Retrieved 2024-02-28.
- "Gulfstream: Mystery oil spill tanker refloated in Trinidad and Tobago". BBC News. 2024-08-21. Retrieved 2024-08-24.
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