Young: Legal action once oil spill vessel owners identified

ENERGY Minister Stuart Young says government will take legal action against the owners of the vessels involved in the February 7 oil spill off Tobago's south east coast, once the identities of these people are clearly established.

He made this statement in the Senate on June 11, in response to a question from Independent Senator Dr Paul Richards.

"Once ownership is established, this government will take legal action against the purported owners of the barge Gulfstream and/or the owner of the tug Solo Creed."

The Solo Creed was reportedly towing the Gulfstream before it ended up overturned on a reef off Tobago on February 7, causing the oil spill.

Young said, "We will continue to use all of our relationships and resources, including an independent satellite provider, to attempt to ascertain the owner or owners of the vessels.

Government's efforts to locate the owners of these vessels have included collaboration between the Coast Guard and other regional security entities such as Caricom Impacs and communication with other countries to get information on the identities and whereabouts of the vessels' owners.

Young said the Works and Transport Ministry's Maritime Services Division, which is also involved in the search for the owners of both vessels, was recently contacted by a Nigerian attorney who claimed to represent the owner of the Gulfstream and Solo Creed.

"The Maritime Services Division are currently scrutinising the validity of the claims, having initiated inquiries to the Nigerian government. However at this time, there is reasonable suspicion related to this particular claim and correspondence."

To date, Young said searches to find the Solo Creed have not been successful as the tug has not reactivated its automatic identification system since February 7.

"Recently however, there were reports of the Solo Creed being arrested in Angola. Immediately, the government dispatched official correspondence to the government of Angola to obtain information to confirm whether the tug vessel has in fact been detained. This line of inquiry is being pursued."

Young said at a recent meeting of the UK-based International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds (IOPC) in London, it has become apparent that the Gulfstream and Solo Creed are part of a network of rogue vessels attempting to operate outside of the law to avoid detection.

Government has applied to the IOPC to access some degree of funding to cover some of the costs it and the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) incurred with respect to dealing with the oil spill.

On efforts to remove any remaining fuel from the Gulfstream, Young said the vessel is estimated to still have 11,000 barrels of fuel still on board.

He added that taking weather and sea conditions into account, it is hoped the Gulfstream will be fully decanted by the end of July.

Young also said efforts are underway to fingerprint the type of fuel to determine its source.