By Obiabin Onukwugha
A non-governmental environmental justice coalition, the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA), has called for a comprehensive investigation into the reported collision involving a vessel HAWK S at the Port of Durban on September 1, warning of possible environmental, maritime safety and infrastructure risks.
In a letter dated September 3, the environmental group urged the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) and the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) to provide detailed information on the incident, including whether the collision resulted in any pollution or contamination of harbour waters.
SDCEA said the Port of Durban is a major economic and maritime facility located within a sensitive coastal environment, making transparency and prompt environmental assessment essential following any significant marine incident.
The organisation asked authorities to “confirm whether the collision caused or posed a risk of fuel, marine diesel, lubricating oil, hydraulic fluid, chemicals or other hazardous substances being released into the harbour.” It also sought information on whether any cargo was damaged, lost or discharged into the water.
SDCEA requested details of its nature and estimated quantity, the affected area and the measures taken to contain, recover and clean up the pollution. The group further asked whether oil booms and absorbent materials had been deployed and whether water, sediment and other environmental samples were being collected to determine the extent of possible contamination.
SDCEA also called for environmental monitoring to continue beyond the immediate response, particularly to identify delayed or secondary impacts that could arise from pollutants accumulating in harbour sediments or entering surrounding marine ecosystems.
It said the assessment should consider impacts on fish and other aquatic organisms, harbour sediments and benthic organisms, water quality, birds and other wildlife, as well as sensitive habitats and species in or around the affected area.
The organisation is also seeking information on the condition of HAWK S at the time of the collision, including whether its hull, tanks or underwater structures were damaged. It demanded authorities to disclose the type of cargo the vessel was carrying and whether any hazardous or potentially polluting materials were on board.
SDCEA said it was not attempting to prejudge the outcome of any investigation, but wanted clarity on the circumstances surrounding the collision.
Among the issues it wants investigated are whether the vessel was arriving, departing or manoeuvring when the incident occurred; whether tugboats were involved; and whether mechanical, steering, propulsion or navigational problems were reported. The group also asked whether weather, visibility, currents, communication problems or operational failures may have contributed to the collision.
The environmental organisation is also seeking information on the emergency response activated after the collision, and called on authorities to clarify whether the port’s marine pollution contingency plan was activated and what pollution prevention and containment equipment was deployed.
SDCEA further asked whether the “incident had been formally classified as an environmental incident and whether authorities had identified any shortcomings in emergency response, pollution preparedness or containment capacity.”
The group also requested information on measures being introduced to prevent further environmental damage.
SDCEA sought for confirmation of “whether workers, contractors, crew members, harbour personnel or members of the public were injured in the incident and whether anyone required medical treatment.”
It is also seeking access to non-confidential reports arising from the incident, including environmental monitoring results, pollution assessments, structural and safety assessments, emergency response reports and the findings of maritime and environmental investigations.
The organisation urged TNPA and SAMSA to make relevant findings and recommendations publicly available to affected communities and other interested parties. It acknowledged that investigations may still be at an early stage but stressed that early environmental monitoring was important following an incident of this nature.
“Our intention is not to pre-empt or interfere with these processes but simply to better understand what happened and to ensure that appropriate measures are being taken to protect the marine environment, public safety and port infrastructure,” the organisation said.
It added that its immediate interest was to establish whether the collision had caused environmental impacts and, where necessary, ensure that appropriate measures were taken to identify, contain, monitor and address them.
SDCEA said its objective was to promote transparency, environmental protection and the wellbeing of communities and the marine environment surrounding the Port of Durban.
