Oil spill contaminates over 17ha of Ho Chi Minh City forest following collision of 2 foreign vessels

The incident involved the Panama-flagged container ship KMTC SURABAYA and the Hong Kong-flagged bulk carrier GENGLYLE, which collided on April 25 on the Long Tau River. 

Initial reports indicated no casualties or damage to the cargo. 

However, the container ship sustained damage to its bow, while the bulk carrier suffered a rupture and partially sank at the stern, resulting in the oil spill. 

The vessels were quickly moved close to the riverbank, causing no disruption to waterway traffic.

According to the civil defense, disaster prevention, and search and rescue command of Can Gio District, the oil has adhered to the soil and vegetation nearly a week after the incident.

The spill has reached several aquaculture areas, posing a threat to fish farms in the communes of Tam Thon Hiep, Thanh An, and Long Hoa.

Five households with around 1.2 metric tons of aquatic products have already been affected. 

Emergency response teams are continuing cleanup efforts and assessing damage to local aquaculture.

Residents, particularly aquaculture farmers, have been warned to implement safety measures to protect water sources. 

They have been advised to temporarily stop using water or harvesting aquatic products from oil-contaminated areas until the situation is resolved.

City-level agencies have coordinated closely to separate the two vessels and mitigate the oil spill.

Authorities have issued official warnings to local residents, especially those involved in aquaculture, to proactively respond to the oil spill.

Relevant departments and nearby communes have been instructed to continue coordinating response plans and remedy the environmental damage.

Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Xuan Sang, director of the Vietnam Maritime and Waterway Administration Le Do Muoi, and leaders of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee have also visited the site to inspect and direct containment and cleanup measures.

To date, more than 240 personnel and dozens of pieces of vehicles and equipment have been deployed for the emergency response.

The Long Tau River, a branch of the Dong Nai River that flows through Can Gio District and into Ganh Rai Bay, is a key inland waterway in southeastern Vietnam, allowing large vessels to enter Saigon Port and surrounding areas.