SBMA imposes $ 5,000 daily fine on Sokor shipping firm for oil-slick mishap

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Hanjin Heavy Industries and Construction Co. (HHIC), a billion-dollar shipbuilding investor here, is being ordered to pay a daily fine of $ 5,000 or P265,150 due to an oil slick caused by a submerged landing craft tank (LCT) at the Agusuhin Point, prompting the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) to field its new vessel to clean up mess.

The LCT sank last Saturday.

SBMA issued last Tuesday a notice of violation to HHIC’s Project Director Hak Kon Kim, stating that the company would be fined daily until a complete cleanup is undertaken.

Some 1,500 square kilometers of fuel oil were cleared by the SBMA’s MV Binictican and Hanjin personnel. The oil leaked from the fuel tank of LCT Consing when it sank.

SBMA Ecology Department Manager Amethya dela Llana said that some 400 liters of fuel oil leaked in the bay’s water, adding that the site where the incident occurred is still a part of SBMA’s area of responsibility.

She also said that the company violated the SBMA rules on prevention, containment, abatement and control of marine pollution, making the company liable to pay $ 5,000 penalty for the first offense.

Dela Llana also ordered Hak to immediately submit an incident report. (Jonas Reyes)