Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning

(1) (a) The Department was informed of the incident and notified of the waste onboard the vessel on 8 November 2021,

(b) via e-mail correspondence

(c) by the Department of Forestry Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) Branch: Oceans and Coasts

(2) (a) The cargo became reactive due to a chemical reaction which liberated heat and fumes, causing a high risk to the environment and human health. An emergency permit was issued by DFFE in terms of Section 72 (1) (A) of the Integrated Coastal Management Act, 2008 (Act No. 24 of 2008), based on the assessment that dumping of the cargo at sea was the only viable option to reduce the potential risk of bigger incidents, viz potential harm or loss of human life, and irreparable environmental damage if the vessel were to be lost at sea.

(2) (b) The responsibility of the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) is to ensure maritime safety, health and environmental protection. Although this incident was unforeseen, the management of fires and emergencies are covered under emergency procedures as managed by the DFFE and SAMSA. All precautions are taken to ensure human and environmental safety. The cause of the incident is being investigated and, based on the outcome of the investigation, appropriate measures will be taken to prevent similar incidents in future.

(3) (a) The risks in terms of the safety of the vessel were assessed by the SAMSA who is leading the Joint Operations Committee (JOC), and the risks in terms of dumping at sea were assessed by the DFFE.

 (3) (b) The Department (DEA&DP) as a member of the JOC, played a role in providing guidance regarding the disposal of the waste that was sent to the Vissershok HH Waste Disposal Facility.  100 tons of the first load of the affected cargo was disposed of in November 2021, and managed by Spill Tech, a private waste disposal and emergency spill management company. Although some of the cargo was removed using this method, the remaining cargo became unsafe due to fires and chemical reactions in the holding area.

The decision to dump at sea was based on the serious concern regarding the integrity of the vessel due to the fire, as well as safety of the personnel on board. The DFFE also consulted with the  Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP) and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) before issuing the permit. The waste was dumped in an area of 10 nautical miles east/west and 30 nautical miles north/south with the following coordinates: 32º 30’ S; 015º 15’ E; approximately 250km out at sea, at a depth of approximately 3000 metres of water.

4. Due to the fast-deteriorating conditions, and to save the ship and people onboard, a permit was granted based on all available information to the decision makers. Although the reason for selecting this specific location for the dumping of the chemicals at sea is not stated in the permit, the decision was made after consultation with international experts, as stated in 3(b) above. The location was considered adequate in terms of conditions for dispersion and dilution of the chemicals, in order to minimise the impact on the coast (250km offshore), given the urgency of the situation.

5. DFFE required that visual monitoring be done via drone technology during the dumping activity, as well as monitoring of chlorophyll a activity via satellite imagery. No immediate environmental damage was noticed. DFFE is in discussions with the vessel owner and insurers to arrange a medium-to-long term environmental monitoring program so that any potential future impacts can be managed responsibly.