CHENNAI: The investigation of how much oil was leaked into the sea has been hit even as as efforts are on to transfer the oily water from one of the tanks of MT Dawn Kancheepuram, which collided with Isle of Man flagship BW Maple on January 28, to the outskirts of the city.
According to preliminary estimates, a total of 196 metric tonnes of oil could have spilled from MT Dawn Kancheepuram. A final figure could be arrived at only after the oily water was emptied from the tank of the ship.
A source in the Directorate General of Shipping told Express that the TN Pollution Control Board was yet to give its nod to transfer the oily water from one of the tanks in the vessel. “The shore tank in Kamarajar Port is full and the oily water has to be transferred out of the port,” he said.
When Express contacted TNPCB officials, they said the oily water from the ship would be transferred to Gumidipoondi site by the shipping agent.
“This could be done only at the request of the vessel. Once we get the request, it will be processed and authorisation given to transfer the oily water to Gumidipoondi,” said a TNPCB source.