Ship fined €100,000 in Spain for spilling oil in the Mediterranean

Spain detains an oil tanker and issues a fine of €100,000 after oil discharge was detected in the Mediterranean 

A ship has been fined by the government in Spain after oil discharge was detected in the open water of the Mediterranean.  

Spain´s transport ministry department has said that an oil spill was detected near the port city of Tarragona, as per Reuters.  

Authorities stated that the discharge was detected by sensors in aircraft as well as satellite radar, which resulted in the officials intercepting the vessel known as Lagertha.  

“The slick, in the stern area of the vessel, extended over an area of 12.7 square kilometres”, said a statement by Spain’s Merchant fleet, a department from the transport ministry.  

The statement added, “The vessel is being detained until the owners paid bail of 100,000 euros ($106,680)”.  

It also said that further action will be taken on the basis of the evidence.   

Discussing the extent of the damage, the department stated that it was unable to gauge how much the oil spill had harmed the environment, as the vessel was in the open sea.  

As per industry experts, shipping activities in the Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines of Spain such as transferring of oil, also known as ship-to ship (STS) operations, have become a major cause for concern.

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