OILY WASTE PUMP. Personnel of Harbor Star --the contracted salvor for MTKR Terranova-- worked on a pump that recovers oily waste from the sunken vessel in Bataan waters on Wednesday (Sept. 11, 2024). The PCG said oil siphoning from MTKR Terranova may end as early as Friday (Sept. 13) after collecting around 1.4 million liters of oily waste. (Photo courtesy of PCG)
MANILA – Oil siphoning from the sunken tanker MTKR Terranova in Bataan is expected to conclude by Friday at the earliest after the collection of around 1.4 million liters of oily waste from the ship’s hold.
In a situation update on Wednesday, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said 61,153 liters of oily waste was collected by its salvor, Harbor Star, from the vessel on Tuesday.
This brings the total amount of collected oily waste from the tanker to 1,384,211 liters since siphoning began on Aug. 19.
PCG Station Bataan Commander, Lieutenant Commander Michael John Encina, said the expected conclusion of the siphoning operation on Friday is tentative and may end later to ensure the recovery of oily waste from all of the ship’s cargo oil tanks, pipelines, and compartments.
On the other hand, MTKR Jason Bradley —another sunken oil tanker in Bataan—is being fitted with siphoning pipes by its salvor, FES Challenger, for seawater siphoning.
The operation will allow the salvor to refloat the vessel to be brought to the Diving Industry Shipyard in Barangay Alas-asin in Mariveles, Bataan.
The target date for the refloating of MTKR Jason Bradley was set on Saturday. (PNA)
