Japanese survey ship locates sunken tanker
A Japanese survey ship located yesterday the sunken tanker Solar 1.
"They confirmed that the ship is indeed located there," said Philippine Coast Guard commandant, Vice Admiral Arthur Gosingan after emerging from a conference at the PCG District Station here yesterday afternoon.
"The ship is in upright position, but is listing to the starboard (right) side. It ha a small crack on its right side," he said.
This came after the Japanese survey ship Shin Sei Maru deployed its remote-operated vehicle Hakuyo 2000 in the area where the tanker last reported its position before it sank last August 11, triggering the worst oil spill of the country.
Shin Sei Maru docked at the Iloilo International Port evening Wednesday. At first light yesterday, it steamed to waters off the southern coast of Guimaras. It will stay there until it is done with the surveying in about three days, said Petron Corporation spokesperson Carlos Tan.
The survey ship deployed its submersible twice yesterday to take footages of the tanker, according to Gosingan. On its second dive in the afternoon, the Hakuyo 2000 noticed a small crack.
However, the oil leaking out into the sea seeps out 'apparently through the air vent,' he said.
"So that explains why we only see thin oil sheens in the surface," Gosingan noted.
The 91-kilogram Hakuyo, which could go as deep as 2,000 meters, is equipped with two video cameras and one still camera, according to the website of Fukada Salvage and Marine Works Company Limited, the firm contracted by Petron Corporation to survey the location and condition of the tanker.
However, it is yet too early to say on whether to re-float the tanker or merely siphon off the remaining bunker fuel, Gosingan said.
"That would come later," he stressed.
Tan clarified yesterday that the 697-ton Shin Sei Maru is not a salvage ship, but a survey ship.
"It will not be the one to re-float the tanker. You need to have cranes, which the Shin Sei has none on board," he explained.
Once the Shin Sei is done with the surveying, it will steam back to its port, and turn over its findings to the experts.
In turn, the experts-two Japanese and one British-will recommend what to do with the ship.
Although Tan said of many options, he mentioned only three--re-float the tanker along with the bunker fuel, suction the fuel, or entomb the Solar 1. The last option consists of encasing the tanker in a solid mass of cement so that the remaining oil will not escape into the sea.