Oil spill from sunken cargo ship off Phuket not expected to threaten islands
Authorities say a refined oil spill from a cargo ship that sank near Phuket over the weekend is unlikely to threaten nearby islands or coral reefs, with the slick now drifting out to open waters.
The Pollution Control Department (PCD) confirmed yesterday, February 10, that the latest oil spill modelling shows the refined petroleum is moving southwest, away from coastal ecosystems.
The 4,339-tonne Panama-flagged Sealloyd Arc sank on Saturday about three nautical miles south of Laem Phromthep while en route from Malaysia to Bangladesh. All 297 containers aboard went down with the vessel.
Chanan Tiranarat, head of the PCD’s Water Quality Management Division, said the spill is being closely monitored, though the risk to marine life remains low.
“Based on the current situation, all islands remain safe from the oil leakage,” Chanan said. “However, we will continue to closely monitor the situation as wind conditions and sea currents can change.”
He explained that refined petroleum behaves differently from crude oil, dispersing and dissolving more easily when treated with chemical dispersants. This makes the current situation less severe than the 2013 crude oil spill in Rayong’s Ao Prao Beach, which caused significant environmental damage.
Authorities have been authorised to deploy dispersants immediately if necessary, without waiting for formal approval from the department. However, they are required to report the quantity used afterwards.
Chanan said the department is coordinating with the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources and the Thai Maritime Enforcement Command Centre to manage the situation and assess any environmental risks.
The Sealloyd Arc was carrying about 98 tonnes of heavy fuel oil and 32 tonnes of marine diesel oil at the time of the sinking, raising concerns about potential damage to sensitive coral reef areas if the leak worsens.
A salvage operation is also under discussion, as reported by Bangkok Post, although strong sea currents in the area have complicated initial efforts.
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