site.btaUPDATED Fuel Oil Washes Up on Bulgarian Shore, Authorities Examine Nine Ships

The Bulgarian Maritime Administration is checking nine ships that were anchored in Varna Sunday night to determine if they may have caused a fuel oil pollution on the Varna shore, said Captain Valentin Enchev, Director of the Maritime Administration in Varna, during a press conference on Monday. A report of fuel oil on the shore was received by the Rescue Centre on Monday morning. Inspectors immediately conducted checks both by sea and land, confirming the presence of oil-based pollutants. 

Enchev said that there is no contamination on the water surface and that satellite images show no such pollution of the water. “It is not yet possible to definitively say that the pollution was caused by a ship”, Enchev added.

The nine ships are being checked one by one, with their order based on a risk assessment. One of the vessels is a tanker.

If any of the vessels are found responsible, the fine could reach up to BGN 150,000, Enchev noted. In his words, the cause could be either fuel leakage or sludge discharge.

Other local institutions in Varna are also checking potential polluters on the shore.

Later in the day, the local environment and water inspectorate said that they have done checks and did not find an on-shore polluter in Varna.

The regional governor is coordinating a beach cleanup, which is already underway, Enchev said. The fuel oil will be removed manually from the sand strip of some 200-250 m.