Ever Judger Seized amid Links to Balikpapan Oil Spill

Panama-flagged bulker MV Ever Judger has been seized by the East Kalimantan police in connection with the ongoing investigation into the massive oil spill and related fire that claimed the lives of five people on March 31.

“We decided to seize the ship for a thorough investigation of the oil spill that harmed Balikpapan Bay for 21 days,” East Kalimantan Police investigation chief Yustan Alpiani is quoted as saying by Indonesian Bernar News.

The ship’s captain and its 20 crew members have banned from leaving Indonesia until the investigation is concluded, the Jakarta Post said.

As informed, the ship is tied up to a dock in Semayang Port waters.

The anchor of 82,000 dwt bulk carrier has been identified as the likely cause of the rupture of an undersea pipe belonging to a local refinery owned by Pertamina, Indonesian Navy’s hydrographic office found, which resulted in the release of a massive amount of crude oil spreading across 26 kilometers. According to a report from Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry, the incident affected around 34 hectares Mangrove ecosystem and caused health problems to the people in the area.

Ever Judger was the only vessel in the waters of Balikpapan Bay, according to the vessel’s AIS data, at the time of the incident. The ship’s anchor is believed to have dragged the pipe some 300 feet from its original position. Judging on the evidence found so far the anchor did damage the pipeline and a forensic reconstruction of the events is yet to be completed based on the found remains of the pipe to conclude the case.

Pertamina has since been engaged with local authorities on containing the spill. The company is said to be waiting for the results of the investigation and is likely to consider legal action against the culprit once officially determined.

Nevertheless, local organizations have criticised Indonesia authorities for their failure to establish early warning systems to foreign vessels to avoid such occurrences, urging the security around such pipelines be improved.

World Maritime News Staff; Image Courtesy: Twitter/Juniansyah