Moscow: Spilled oil has contaminated “tens of kilometres” of the Russian Black Sea coastline after two tankers were severely damaged during a weekend storm, a regional official confirmed on Tuesday. Meanwhile, state media reported that a third vessel is now in distress.
According to the TASS news agency, the third tanker, Volgoneft 109, issued a distress signal but remains intact, with no reported oil spillage and its crew safe. The RIA news agency added that the tanker is safely stationed near the port of Kavkaz in the Kerch Strait, a vital waterway connecting the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.
Two fuel oil tankers were damaged in a storm in the Russian Black Sea on Sunday with a third ship now sending distress signals. Emergencies have been declared at several locations along the coast as the scale of the fuel spillage remains unclear https://t.co/2ZzymVQlFc pic.twitter.com/i245ZsVa0D
— Reuters (@Reuters) December 17, 2024
Tankers Severely Damaged
The crisis began when the Volgoneft 212 split in half on Sunday in the Kerch Strait, followed by the Volgoneft 239 running aground just 80 metres (87 yards) from the shore near the port of Taman on the strait’s eastern side. Both vessels, over 50 years old, were transporting approximately 9,200 metric tons (62,000 barrels) of oil products in total. The incident has raised concerns of a potential environmental catastrophe in the region.
A certificate reviewed by Reuters revealed that the third tanker involved, Volgoneft 109, was built in 1973, highlighting the ageing condition of the fleet.
Environmental Impact
Veniamin Kondratyev, governor of the southern Krasnodar region, reported finding fuel oil along the coast between the towns of Temryuk and Anapa. “This morning, while monitoring the shoreline, stains of fuel oil were discovered. Oil products washed ashore for several tens of kilometres,” Kondratyev stated.
Authorities declared a local state of emergency across four settlements in the Temryuk district and one village in the Anapa district. Video footage from Zvezda TV showed black, oil-like substances along the Anapa coastline and tarry stains on a beach littered with tree branches.
Experts have voiced concerns about the spill’s impact on the region’s marine ecosystem. Dmitry Glazov from the Institute of Ecology and Evolution warned that the Kerch Strait is a crucial migration corridor for dolphins and other marine mammals. “You can say they hit a key place,” he said.
State TV footage from Vesti revealed birds covered in oil, struggling to fly, further illustrating the ecological damage.
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Economic and Environmental Challenges
The Kerch Strait serves as a critical route for Russian grain and fuel exports. On Monday, Russia’s Natural Resources and Ecology Ministry acknowledged the fuel oil spill but stated that the full extent remains unclear. Natural Resources and Ecology Minister Alexander Kozlov suggested that some of the spilled oil might have sunk to the seabed due to the cold weather.
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One crew member from the Volgoneft 212 tragically lost their life in Sunday’s incident, while all 14 personnel aboard the Volgoneft 239 were rescued.
Ongoing Efforts
Efforts to mitigate the spill’s damage continue as authorities deploy resources to monitor and clean affected areas. Experts have emphasized the urgent need for better maintenance and renewal of ageing tanker fleets to prevent similar disasters in the future.
