The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, has confirmed an oil spill in the Bonny Channel area of Rivers State following a collision involving two vessels.
The agency disclosed that the incident occurred around Latitude 4.512375 and Longitude 7.189429, resulting in oil pollution within the affected marine corridor.
NIMASA’s Deputy Director and Head of Public Relations, Osagie Edward, made this known in a statement issued on Thursday in Lagos.
According to Edward, the Deep Blue Forward Operating Base in Bonny received a distress alert at about 11:30 a.m. concerning the collision.
He identified the vessels involved as MV Valparaiso, a Singapore-flagged container ship with IMO Number 9433054, and MT Lady Martina, a Nigerian-flagged tanker transporting petroleum products.
Edward said the Deep Blue Base swiftly deployed 10 armed operatives aboard interceptor boat DB 214 to the scene for emergency response operations.
He added that five crew members onboard MT Lady Martina sustained different degrees of injuries during the incident.
The injured victims were reportedly evacuated to the sickbay at the Forward Operating Base in Bonny, where they received immediate medical attention.
“Following the collision, MT Lady Martina drifted ashore and is currently aground along the Bonny Channel.
“MV Valparaiso also remains grounded at the Bonny Inner Anchorage pending damage assessment and further investigation,” Edward stated.
He further disclosed that shipping company MAERSK had formally notified the agency about the incident.
Edward said the Director-General of NIMASA, Dayo Mobereola, had ordered a comprehensive investigation into both the immediate and underlying causes of the collision.
According to him, the agency has also activated a Situation Monitoring Room to coordinate emergency response activities and monitor developments surrounding the incident.
Mobereola was said to have visited Rivers State personally to inaugurate the monitoring room and supervise ongoing response efforts.
The NIMASA boss also directed the agency’s Marine Environment Management Department to immediately commence an Environmental Impact Assessment of the affected area.
He urged relevant officials to take urgent steps to contain the Tier One oil sheen and minimise damage to the marine environment.