Bilge-oil sheen at a Győr berth
During pre-departure checks at a berth on the Moson Danube near Győr, a deckhand reports an oil sheen around the stern. You find about 20 litres of dark fuel oil in the bilge under the main engine; the automatic bilge pump has just run for about 30 seconds. The sheen extends 15 m downstream along the quay. The vessel's oily-water separator has a faulty alarm and is isolated; the bilge pump is not connected to the separator. You have absorbent pads and a portable containment boom on board. The berth is 300 m from a drinking-water intake downstream. Wind is light onshore. The port authority office is 2 km away; the environmental inspectorate hotline is available. Your next cargo is non-hazardous. Crew: five.
1. What immediate actions do you take on board and ashore?
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I would stop the bilge pump immediately, isolate the bilge system, and prevent any more oil from reaching the water. I would deploy the portable boom around the stern and the absorbent pads on the sheen, working from the downstream side to stop the oil moving toward the intake. I would not use dispersants or detergents; they spread the oil into the water column and are not an acceptable response. I would notify the port authority and the environmental inspectorate hotline at once, giving the location, estimated 20 litres, the 15 m sheen, the drinking-water intake 300 m downstream, and the vessel's details. I would warn the intake operator through the authority. I would keep the crew clear of the spill, eliminate ignition sources, and record the time of discovery, the pump run, and the actions taken.
2. Is this a reportable spill, and what records must you keep?
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Yes, this is reportable. Fuel oil reaching the water is a pollution incident, even at about 20 litres, and the proximity of the drinking-water intake makes it more urgent. I would record the event in the oil record book, the bilge-water record, and the ship's log: time, place, estimated quantity, cause, the pump run, the boom and pads used, the authorities notified, and the disposal route for the recovered oil and contaminated pads. I would keep the used absorbents in sealed bags for proper disposal and not throw them overboard. I would take photographs and keep the sounding and separator records. If the separator alarm is faulty and the bilge pump is not connected to the separator, I would record that as a deficiency and be prepared to explain it to the inspector. Concealment would be worse than the spill.
3. The faulty separator alarm and isolated separator: can you sail after cleanup?
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No, I would not sail as if nothing had happened. The oily-water separator must be operational before departure; a faulty alarm and an isolated separator mean the vessel cannot legally or safely process bilge water. I would have the separator repaired and tested at the berth, or obtain the authority's instructions for a controlled repair or movement. I would also investigate why the bilge pump discharged directly overboard and whether the discharge was accidental or deliberate. Until the repair is complete, I would keep the bilge system isolated and retain the oily water on board. The cleanup of the sheen does not cure the equipment deficiency or the reporting obligation; the vessel should not proceed until the authority is satisfied and the separator is working.