Mauritius oil spill caused by crew of Japanese ship sailing too close to shore as they chased mobile phone signals: report
One of Japan's largest shipping companies has admitted that the industry's worst environmental accident this year was the result of the crew of the bulk carrier MV Wakashio sailing too close to shore as they attempted to pick up mobile phone signals.
The 300-metre ship ran aground on pristine coral reefs just off southern Mauritius on July 25, spilling more than 1,000 tonnes of fuel into the Indian Ocean and leading the country's government to declare a state of environmental emergency in an area that is listed as a protected wetland of international importance.
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It also confirmed the crew were using a nautical chart that was too large to accurately show distance from the coast and water depth, and that the crew had failed to keep an adequate watch while the vessel was under way, both visually and by radar.
The crew of the Wakashio "may have undertaken unsafe behaviours due to overconfidence that stems from complacency," the report said.
The ship's 58-year-old Indian captain, Sunil Kumar Nandeshwar, and his deputy are presently detained in Mauritius on suspicion of negligence.
A general view of the oil leaking from the MV Wakashio. Photo: EMAE
The Wakashio broke in half weeks after running aground. The bow section was towed away from the reef and scuttled, while salvage operations for the stern section are ongoing.
A number of countries, including Japan and France, extended aid after the accident. Restoration of the coastline is expected to be completed in the early part of 2021.
Robert Dujarric, co-director of the Institute of Contemporary Asian Studies at the Tokyo campus of Temple University, said accidents were inevitable in any industry, but the response to them was critical.
"I think Japan tries to project this image that its companies are perfectionists when it comes to safety and that they follow the rules, but that is not always the case," he said.
"A case like this raises questions of where the crew are from, how well they are trained and how appropriately they are led by their officers. Often they are from developing countries, are not well paid and not supervised sufficiently, so that is what the company has to respond to now."
MOL has announced a companywide campaign to improve safety, particularly concerning watch-keeping and the use of nautical charts, as well as stepping up its involvement in the selection of senior officers.
Japan's foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi visited Mauritius in mid-December and, in talks with Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth, promised to deliver technical support to restore the environment and the local fishing industry from next month. Tokyo is also considering providing 30 billion yen (US$290 million) in loans to assist the recovery process.
"The Japanese government has reacted in exactly the right way, but that may also have been encouraged by concerns that Tokyo may be competing with Beijing for influence in the region," Dujarric from Temple University said.
This article originally appeared on the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
Copyright (c) 2020. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
