Cargo Ship Detained for Fuel Spill in CeutaCargo Ship Detained for Fuel Spill in Ceuta Spanish authorities have detained a German-operated cargo ship, the Tony Stark, for causing a fuel spill during a refueling operation near the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. The Antigua & Barbuda-flagged ship has been ordered to remain in port until its owners pay bail of 120,000 euros. The spill was detected off the coast of Ceuta last week, with trails of fuel oil found in front of Benitez beach, the port’s breakwaters, and San Amaro beach. The Spanish Merchant Fleet estimated the size of the spill to be one metric ton. In response, the Merchant Fleet has opened a disciplinary procedure that will determine a final fine for the incident. The Tony Stark’s German-based operator, NautiCore Shipping, has not yet commented on the matter. The detention of the Tony Stark comes after a separate fuel spill incident last week near the eastern city of Valencia, where three beaches were closed after fuel washed up on a 2-km stretch of sand. The cause of the Valencia spill remains under investigation. The recent fuel spills highlight concerns about environmental protection and maritime safety in Spanish waters. The Spanish Merchant Fleet is working to determine the causes of both incidents and ensure that appropriate measures are taken to prevent future spills.
Spanish authorities have detained a German-operated cargo ship for causing a spill during a refueling operation near the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, Spain’s Merchant Fleet said on Monday.
The Antigua & Barbuda-flagged Tony Stark ship cannot leave the port on Africa’s north coast until the owners pay bail of 120,000 euros ($130,524), it added.
The Tony Stark’s German-based operator NautiCore Shipping did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Last week, trails of fuel oil were detected in front of Benitez beach, the breakwaters of the port and San Amaro beach in Ceuta, in the Alboran sea.
In a separate statement, the Merchant Fleet estimated the size of the fuel spill was one metric ton.
The Merchant Fleet said it opened a disciplinary procedure that will determine the final fine.
In a separate incident, three beaches near the eastern city of Valencia were closed last week after fuel from a spill washed up on a 2-km (1.2-mile) line of sand. The cause was not immediately clear.
(Photo: Spanish Sea Rescue)
($1 = 0.9194 euros)
(Reuters – Reporting by Emma Pinedo and Jonathan Saul; editing by Barbara Lewis)
