There is no environmental damage caused by the oil leakage from the sunken MV Suliven.
This was confirmed by the Permanent Secretary of Infrastructure and Transport, Commander Francis Kean today.
This is after the consultation amongst stakeholders who explored the report from the divers that were deployed to the wreckage.
Commander Kean says there was no oil in the settling and service tanks when divers drilled holes into them.
There were 8,000 litres of oil on board the MV Suliven when she left from Ovalau to Suva.
“We have looked at that and talked and from the figures that we have looked at after all this consultation and with the ship owner comes to about approximately 3,000 litres so we have also talked to experts within the Department of Environment and also did a bit of research on how this light diesel oil will actually dissolve or dissipate within the marine environment,” said Commander Kean.
Commander Kean also states the remaining light diesel fuel that were in the vessel had no impact on the environment.
Investigations into the cause of the incident continues and stakeholders are still in discussion on options of removing the ship from its current location.
“From the information we gathered and the information that there has been provided by experts in the Department of Environment that its light diesel oil. It evaporates very quickly and dissipates quickly within the marine environment. Fuel in access from the information gathered 19,000 litres that is when it becomes a concern. Anything below that those are the processes that will happen naturally,” added the Permanent Secretary for Infrastructure and Transport.