Probes into oil spill in Brazil’s Northeast near end

Brazilian acting President Hamilton Mourão said Wednesday (Oct. 30) that the investigation into the oil slicks that reached the beaches of the country’s beaches is near its end. The government this week may disclose the conclusion of the probes naming the ship or ships accountable, Mourão said.

“Our investigation is getting there. We’re waiting for President [Jair Bolsonaro] to arrive [in Brazil],” he declared. “Results are quite likely to be disclosed still this week.”

Mourão talked to Navy Commandant Admiral Ilques Barbosa Junior, who detailed the inquiry. Of the 30 vessels brought under scrutiny as possibly responsible for the leakage, the government is currently considering ten.

Not a ghost ship

The acting president said the outcome of the investigation will be unveiled when the government feels “a hundred percent sure,” but said the vessel is not a dark ship. Also referred to as ghost ships, dark ships are vessels navigating in international waters with the Automatic Identification System (AIS), a transponder constantly keeps track of the ship, turned off.

“I don’t think [the ship] is illegal,” Mourão said. “In this investigation, we ascertained there are several dark ships crossing that area, but none of them carrying oil.” The probes, he said, indicate that the vessel’s transponder was not deactivated during the leakage.

Compensation

When asked whether the government will demand some kind of compensation from those accountable, Mourão said yes.

“They must be charged, fined. There’s environmental legislation for the sea. This ship clearly belongs to a company, so the subject of insurance must be seen to. It’s a terribly expensive affair, but it should cover all these things,” he said.

The leak, Mourão went on to point out, may have occurred as a result of the vessel releasing oil into the sea to address a stability issue.

“The ejection may have stemmed from a floating problem. Oil is discharged to increase stability,” he said.