Large-scale eco-disaster: losses from the fuel oil leak in the Kerch Strait are estimated at $14 billion
16 December 2024 22:47
The damage caused by the leakage of fuel oil from two Russian tankers in the Black Sea may exceed $14 billion. This was stated by the Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources Svitlana Hrynchuk, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
“Russians must be held accountable for the large-scale environmental disaster in the Kerch Strait. According to preliminary estimates by the State Ecological Inspectorate of Ukraine, the fuel oil leak has caused more than $14 billion in damage to the Black Sea ecosystem. It will definitely change after the data of the disaster is clarified,” said Hrynchuk.
To coordinate efforts and exchange information, Hrynchuk held an online meeting with Mircea Fechet, Minister of Environment, Water and Forestry of Romania, and Petar Dimitrov, Acting Minister of Environment and Water of Bulgaria.
“We exchanged the available information with them. We coordinated further actions. The Ministers of Environment of Romania and Bulgaria shared their information on the consequences of the accident. Now we are waiting for better weather conditions to obtain high-quality satellite images necessary for analyzing the situation and more detailed modeling,” emphasized Hrynchuk.
Ukrainian experts are actively working to build an evidence base, document the facts of pollution and assess the impact of the accident on ecosystems. To this end, an interagency meeting was held with the participation of experts from several ministries, including the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant agencies. Experts from the State Ecological Inspectorate, the State Service for Maritime and Inland Water Transport and Shipping, and the Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority are also participating.
Ukraine has already contacted the Secretariat of the Commission for the Protection of the Black Sea against Pollution to report the incident and propose to convene an extraordinary meeting of the Commission and conduct an independent examination of the state of the waters, bottom sediments and marine ecosystem.
The Secretariat of the Black Sea Commission for the Protection of the Black Sea from Pollution with a proposal to convene an extraordinary meeting of the Commission and conduct an independent examination of the state of the waters, bottom sediments and marine ecosystem.
Together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Infrastructure, we are currently preparing an appeal to the relevant UN conventions, UNEP, UNESCO, the European Union, and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
Earlier, it became known about two tankers that sank in the Kerch Strait – Volgoneft 212 and Volgoneft 239. The tankers had 13 and 14 people on board, respectively. The tankers were transporting over 8 tons of fuel oil.
The media, citing sources in the services, write that the incidents were caused by the crew’s mistake in difficult weather conditions, who could not cope with the elements and made mistakes in ship control.
