Tanker spills oil offshore Ghana

ACCRA, May 30, 2018 – A tanker carrying 1,200 tonnes of light crude split in two after leaving the Tema port, leading to spillage, local media reported Tuesday.

The cause of the accident, in which the stern and the bow of the MT Alice drifted apart, is unknown, but officials suspect the vessel was poorly maintained, Ghanaweb news portal reported.

“Immediately I saw the tanker; the question I asked myself was, is this seaworthy? We have surveyors who assess ships that call at the port. This falls directly under the GMA [Ghana Maritime Authority], and I will bring this to their attention,” Deputy Minister of Transport Daniel Titus Glover told the media.

Local authorities were able to minimise spillage by transferring the remaining oil onto oil tanker trucks. The MT Alice, a Bahamas-registered vessel, had a crew of 13. A nearby vessel came to its assistance, and no casualties have been reported.

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