Browne: Nabarima oil removal ongoing

Minister of Foreign and Caricom Affairs Dr Amery Browne has said work on transferring crude from the FSO Nabarima to a more stable onshore site is going smoothly.

The ship, which was said to be listing, had grabbed local, regional and international attention because of the 1.3 million barrels of crude stored on board. It posed concerns of an oil spill and major environmental disaster in the Gulf of Paria, where it has been permanently moored between TT and Venezuela, in Venezuelan waters.

In a brief response to Newsday via WhatsApp messages on Friday, Browne said, “Our understanding is that the process of removing the oil from the Nabarima is ongoing.

“We have begun the process of exploring a follow-up visit to the vessel, in keeping with the recommendation of our team of experts.”

He did not indicate a proposed date or details of any discussion with the Venezuelan authorities.

On October 20 a team of TT officials inspected the Nabarima to assess the state of the vessel and if it posed any risks.

The team comprised a petroleum engineer from the Ministry of Energy, a Coast Guard officer who is a mechanical engineer and an expert in ships from the Maritime Services Division. They reported that the shio was upright, stable, with no visible list and no imminent risk of listing or sinking.

Energy Minister Franklin Khan also said the ship posed no danger and was satisfied with the findings of the TT team.