Around 30,000 gallons of diesel fuel oil spilled into the waters of Great Exuma in the Bahamas, after a mishap from a vessel that was unloading fuel in the area of the Old Navy Base, in George Town, according to local and international media reports.

Published 2 years ago

A report in Maritime Industry News quoted acting Prime Minister Chester Cooper, as saying the spill occurred sometime between 5pm and 4am during the night of Tuesday 19 July.  

“The Arabian, a vessel contracted for Sun Oil, was offloading fuel to BPL in the area of the Old Navy Base, in George Town and the next morning it was confirmed that there was a significant spill to the tune of 30,000 gallons,” according to Mr Cooper.

George Town is located on the island of Great Exuma in the Exuma district of the Bahamas. It is understood the oil spill is currently contained in the bay area near the Exuma Sailing Club. Additional booms to contain the fuel were en route to the site of the spill on 20 July.

The Bahamas’ Minister of works & utilities, The Hon. Alfred Sears, Q.C., along with Pedro Rolle, Chairman of BPL, and Shevonn Cambridge, CEO of BPL arrived in Exuma on 20 July with other cabinet ministers and environmental engineers to assess the oil spill.

Bahamas-based Sun Oil said in a statement that crew members on board a vessel called the MT Arabian discovered a leak at 4:00 am while discharging the fuel, adding that the crew later deployed absorbent pads and containment buoys.

However, by Friday July 22 the Director of the Department of Environmental Protection and Planning (DEPP) in the Bahamas posted on Twitter that “diesel spill near Georgetown, Exuma is now considered 95 percent removed.”

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