Russian officials say Kerch Strait spill is world’s first accident involving ‘heavy’ fuel oil
Russia’s Transport Ministry said on Thursday that far less oil has leaked into the Black Sea than initially feared after two tankers wrecked during a storm last month in the Kerch Strait. According to officials, the damaged ships spilled roughly 2,400 metric tons (634,000 gallons) of petroleum products — about a quarter of the tankers’ total haul. However, the ministry warned that the spill marks “the first-ever accident involving ‘heavy’ M100 mazut [fuel oil].”
This particular type of oil solidifies at temperatures below +25℃ (77°F) and is roughly as dense as water. Unlike other petroleum products, it sinks or remains suspended when leaked into the sea.
“The world has no proven methods for removing it from the water’s depths, which is why the main approach is to collect it from the shoreline when it washes up in coastal areas,” said Russia’s Transport Ministry spokespeople.
Meanwhile, a working group of scientists at an emergency response center in Krasnodar Krai says its members are determining the most effective way to clean sand contaminated with heavy fuel oil. “The main goal is to make the sand reusable on beaches. The secondary task is to choose an effective method for cleaning pebble and rocky beaches,” Transport Ministry officials explained.
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