Days after the oil tanker Terranova sank in Manila Bay on July 25, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) scrambled to contain a growing oil spill in the country’s busiest natural harbor as it also dealt with another fuel tanker that sank near the mouth of the bay. 

The PCG identified the other fuel tanker as the “MTKR Jason Bradley” which sank in shallow waters just half a kilometer from the shore of Mariveles, Bataan on Saturday afternoon, just two days after the MT Terranova sank in rough waters 6.5 kilometers off Limay, Bataan with its cargo of more than 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel. 

The Jason Bradley was reported to have had no cargo when it sank on July 27, but PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Armando Balilo said frogmen found an undetermined amount of diesel in addition to the fuel the tanker was using.  

“The PCG response team is working on properly removing the diesel cargo with the help of a contracted salvor,” Balilo said in an online media briefing on Sunday, adding that the PCG would start investigating the Jason Bradley’s sinking after it recovers all the leaking fuel. 

More leaks in the Terranova 

On July 29, the PCG commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan told journalists in a briefing that the recovery of the Terranova’s cargo of 1.4 million liters of fuel was again postponed after divers found fuel leaking from the valves of its cargo hold. 

Salvors found that 14 of the tanker’s 24 cargo valves were leaking and they had to be sealed before publicly-listed Harbor Star Shipping Services, the contracted salvor, could start the seven-day process of siphoning the fuel. 

Gavan said the PCG, in cooperation with Harbor Star and the Terranova’s operator, PortaVaga Ship Management Inc., would dispatch a barge and another motor tanker to assist in the siphoning of the fuel cargo which may start on July 30 or July 1. 

Gavan said Harbor Star, which was experienced in handling oil spills, planned “to siphon 300,000 liters of oil, which is enough to gain buoyancy and safely tow the sunken vessel to safe a site where the rest of the oil will be cleared.” He said Harbor Star, which agreed to a “no cure, no pay” contract, could siphon “approximately 50,000 to 60,000 liters daily” and finish the process within a week. The contract means Harbor Star would not be paid, if it fails to clean up the oil spill. 

Potential impact 

Harbor Star was one of the salvors that cleaned up the oil spill from the MT Princess Empress which sank off Mindoro Island with 900,000 liters of fuel on February 23, 2023, so far, the worst oil spill in the Philippine maritime history. Harbor Star took months to clean up the spill, but the PCG said that since the leakage from the Terranova was “minimal,” the situation was manageable. 

However, satellite photos from the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) showed that the oil spill in Manila Bay, which is surrounded by a population of more than 24.8 million people, was spreading fast. On July 26, the day after the sinking, the oil spill was estimated to cover 14.4 square kilometers, but on July 27, the satellite photos already suggested an area of about 68.01 square kilometers. 

In a statement sent to Maritime Fairtrade, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) of the Philippine Department of Agriculture assured fishers and consumers that fish samples near the spill site still had no traces of oil. Fish samples from the Bataan towns of Limay, Orion, Balanga City and Samal that were tested on July 29 all passed the sensory analysis.  

However, BFAR spokesperson Nazer Briguela told Maritime Fairtrade that further tests on harmful contaminants, like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, are still being conducted and it will take more time. So far, only the town of Limay has imposed a fishing ban, but Briguera said that a fishing ban could impact thousands of fishermen’s livelihoods and cause bigger problems than the one it was meant to solve. 

“Fish can actually swim away from the affected area. They won’t really be affected right away,” Briguera said in an earlier radio interview. 

“But if the leakage is already widespread, there has to be an analysis of the fishes to see if there is already contamination,” he added. 

BFAR has not issued a fishing ban over adjacent waters still unaffected by the oil spill, Briguela added. 

Oil slick reaches Bulacan 

Former actor Daniel Fernando, now governor of Bulacan province adjacent to Metro Manila, complained that the oil slick from the Terranova was already threatening the province’s aquatic resources and fishpond industry. 

Fernando asked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to provide oil slick booms to Malolos City to alleviate the situation. Marcos created an inter-agency task force to manage the government’s response to the oil spill, including the provision of oil spill booms made of coconut coir to provinces that may be affected. 

The idea of spill booms of indigenous materials was apparently made by the PCG which had already made use of the equipment in its cleanup of the Empress Princess spill last year. 

On July 29, the PCG shared on social media pictures of truckloads of the coconut booms to be deployed in the provinces of Bataan and Bulacan. 

“We are utilizing our manpower, mobilizing resources, consulting with experts, and collaborating with LGUs and other stakeholders to prevent a marine catastrophe,” Balilo said. 

Environmental groups raise alarm  

Environmental group Greenpeace called on the Terranova’s owners to cover environmental damage costs and compensate affected communities. Greenpeace climate campaigner Jefferson Chua expressed concern over the spill’s impact on communities already struggling from Super Typhoon Carina. 

“The sunken tanker MT Terra Nova is a ticking time bomb that further imperils the health, safety, and livelihoods of coastal communities around Manila Bay,” Chua said. 

Marine Ocean conservation group Oceana Philippines has also called on Marcos to act swiftly, enforce stricter laws, and impose penalties for environmental violations. Oceana Vice President Gloria Estenzo-Ramos emphasized the need for accountability and rigorous enforcement of environmental regulations. 

“All those responsible for failing to prevent this tragedy—from government agencies to private vessel owners—should be held accountable. We must ensure laws are enforced and penalties are appropriate,” Ramos said.

Photo credit: Philippine Coast Guard. Improvised oil spill boom, jointly created by members of the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary, used to prevent the spread of the oil spotted in the area of Bataan where the MV Terranova sank.