Cagliari, tankship spills chemicals waste

An Italian tanker was detained in the industrial port of Sarroch by the Port Authority of Cagliari, Italy. This action followed the determination that the vessel had engaged in tank cleaning operations, resulting in the discharge of chemical residues into a restricted marine area. The monitoring operation was initiated based on a notification from French maritime authorities, who identified a suspicious trail at sea through the European satellite system ‘Clean Sea Net’. Analysis of the imagery revealed the presence of chemical substances in the water, enabling the identification of the Italian motor tanker as a potential source of the discharge. Specialized inspectors from the Cagliari Harbour Master’s Office confirmed irregularities in the washing and dumping procedures, constituting a violation of international conventions concerning the prevention of marine pollution. Furthermore, onboard irregularities were discovered, leading to the vessel’s administrative detention. The vessel will not resume navigation until all identified deficiencies have been fully rectified.