Stranded cargo ship threatens Bakud reef

SHIP AGROUND. An aerial photo released by the Sarangani information office on Thursday shows the MV Double Prosperity cargo ship beached on the protected Bakud Reef 10 km off Sarangani province. The ship, which ran aground on May 8, is stuck for at least three weeks, raising fears that fuel oil or the ship’s coal cargo might spill, endangering the reef which had been declared a protected area by the provincial government to protect fishing grounds. It is also a popular diving site for tourists. AFP/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE

KIAMBA, Sarangani—A foreign cargo ship is stranded on a protected coral reef off this province and may be stuck for three weeks, raising fears of environmental damage, authorities said Thursday.

The Panamanian-registered MV Double Prosperity was carrying about 65,000 tons of coal from Australia to India when it hit Bakud Reef on Sunday, regional Coast Guard Commander Roy Echeverria told Agence France-Presse.

About three-quarters of the 225-meter-long ship is stuck on the reef and it is lying in barely two meters of water, making the task of refloating it very difficult, he said.

“Weather permitting … the ship may be extricated within more or less three weeks,” he said, adding it would also take time to bring in specialist equipment.

Echeverria said there were concerns the ship’s fuel may start leaking, and inflatable oil spill booms had been brought into the area as a precaution, although there were no signs this had yet occurred.

A marine biologist will also arrive soon to determine the extent of damage to the reef, said Sarangani Gov. Miguel Dominguez.

The reef, located in rich fishing grounds less than 10 kilometers off Sarangani’s coast, is a protected area under a provincial environmental law.

This protected status is aimed at preserving the reef for tourist divers and to keep commercial fishing vessels away.

Even if no major environmental damage occurs, provincial authorities will seek compensation from the ship-owners over the incident, Dominguez said.

“Our objective here is to pull the boat safely out from the reef … and that the rights of the province are protected and compensated,” he said.