Mumbai Port Trust Will Take Steps to Upgrade Oil Spill Contingency Plans for Mumbai and JNPT

Authorities from the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) are said to be working on upgrading its oil spill contingency plans in the wake of the disastrous oil spill off the coast of Mauritius in August, considered the country’s worst ecological disaster. 

Officials in the city want to be prepared for any such eventuality as the world has seen multiple oil spills over the past few years causing great damage to the local ecosystem. 

The MbPT has sent out tenders to hire an agency that can create a Tier-1 oil spill response facility in the city as well as the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) harbour. 

As per details on the tender accessed by Hindustan Times, the consultant will be tasked with conducting a quality risk assessment of oil spills in the region while also evaluating the likely trajectory of the spill in a worst-case scenario. Further, the consultants will also have to map out regions that are considered likely to be affected in the event of an oil spill.

Also Read - Mumbai Coastal Road Project Affects The Local Fishermen Of Haji Ali

“We have a plan in place in case of an oil spill for the past five years. As the contract is ending, we are looking for a new agency. We are looking to upgrade it [the plan] and looking at new technology. A ready plan will aid us to control the situation in case of an emergency,” Deputy Conservator, Head of Marine Department at MbPT, Captain Bhabatosh Chand said. 

Mumbai’s marine life is currently under threat from infrastructure plans such as the Coastal Road project. Keeping this in mind, an oil spill is a disaster that the metropolitan region can ill afford. 

The oil spill in Mauritius was caused by Japanese carrier MV Wakashio which struck a reef off the south-east coast of Mauritius in August, spilling 1,000 tonnes of fuel into the ocean as a consequence. 

Among the first steps taken by the Indian Government at the time was to ask Indian Oil (Mauritius) Limited (IOML) to extend all possible support to the Mauritian authorities.

Also read - Mumbai Pollution Levels Nearing Pre-Lockdown Levels As Restrictions Are Eased