Multiple Vessels Fouled at Keelung, Taiwan During Bunkering Fuel Spill
Operations are resuming after a disruption at Taiwan’s northern port of Keelung due to an oil spill during a bunkering operation. According to the reports, four containerships, a cruise ship, and the port’s pilot boats were all fouled and required cleaning while the port also worked to contain the spill.
The spill occurred on March 16 while the regional containership Kanway Global was docked and refueling. According to the reports, the 24,500 dwt vessel arrived from another port in Taiwan and was refueling when the spill happened around 2200 local time on Sunday night. Built in 1998, the vessel is registered in Taiwan and has a capacity of 1,675 TEU.
Port officials said that booms were strung to contain the spill. Reports indicated that it was an overflow from the barge connection. The local environmental agency said as much as 100 liters of fuel spilled in the area of the container terminal and fouled multiple berths.
Pictures showed crews out on Monday applying absorbent materials and mopping up the oil. At the same time, they were power-washing the hulls of multiple vessels that were coated in oil. The Taiwan International Ports Corporation which operates the port confirmed that departures were being delayed and that operations at the port were impacted.
Two TS Line vessels, TS Pusan and TS Surabaya, were in the impacted area as well as Yang Ming’s feeder YM Immense. Keelung is also a popular cruise port and the cruise ship Norwegian Sky was impacted by the spill.
The Kanway Global and the TS Surabaya remain in the port as of late on Tuesday. The cruise ship Norwegian Sky departed and was underway to Hong Kong while the TS Pusan had also been cleaned and permitted to depart.
Three pilot boats were also impacted by the oil. Reports said they would need to be dry docked to for cleaning.
Port officials said they were targeting completing the cleanup on Tuesday. They expected normal operations to resume in the port. Kanway Lines was reportedly being fined approximately US$10,000 for the incident.
Top photo of Keelung port in 2024 by Heeheemalu - CC BY-SA 4.0