Oil spill clean-up begins

Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) and marine resources ministry officials, including those from its Directorate of Maritime Affairs (DMA), with the assistance of the Namibian Dolphin Project (NDP), the army, the navy, the fire department and a shipping company are involved in an oil spill clean-up operation at the coast.A team of commercial divers were deployed to survey the area and to put up a boom. The divers also commenced with an investigation to determine where the oil could possibly have originated from. The investigation is ongoing. This is not the first oil spill in Namibia or in Walvis Bay. Oil spills are health hazards to the environment and humans. Only trained personnel with the correct gear can help to contain and clear them up.If a crew reaches a spill within an hour or two after its detection, it may choose containment and skimming to clean up the slick. They deploy long, buoyant booms, which float on the water, and a skirt that hangs below to contain the slick and keep the oil from spreading.A coastal resident noticed the washed up oil on the beach in the area between the Afrodite Beach development and Dolphin Park (near Long Beach) and posted a short video clip on social media on Thursday. The clip was widely viewed and shared. It stirred numerous comments as well as speculation that the oil could have leaked from one of the vessels anchored in the bay. Heavy fuel oil or residual fuel oil is used as a source of combustion in the marine diesel engines of ships. Namport officials visited the scene to determine the extent of the spill and immediately acted to contain and clear it up. The NDP also reported on their social media page that the organisation was alerted to a minor oil spill noticed at Pelican Point on Saturday. “The video clip does not show the extent and broader aspect. This was luckily not a major event, but still unfortunate and harmful. We would like the public to let us know if any oiled seabirds are seen or found, so they can be treated. None so far were found at Pelican Point yesterday,” commented Jelly Jellytich, a NDP field officer. The NDP drove from Walvis Bay up to Pelican Point along the beach and also to Long Beach to conduct stranding surveys. “From what we saw the worst spill is located around Aphrodite Beach as was found by Namport and members of the public on Wednesday afternoon. This is, however, a small spill. It is not huge and does not cover a large area. The DMA and Namport is however doing their best to contain and clear it up. The residual oil could however remain there forever.” Jellytich said the NDP has not been made aware of the same amount of oil washing up anywhere else along the coastline. “We found heavy fuel oil residue, presumably from the same source, washed up along the beach at Pelican Point and then along the beach starting at Independence Beach to the Dolphin Beach waterslides, but not in the same amount as was found at Aphrodite Beach.” The NDP thanked Namport and the marine tour guide community for raising their concerns and investigating the issue. The organisation said it would take a while before the oil spill is completely cleared up and there is a concerted and professional effort to deal with this issue.It also encouraged locals and fishermen in particular to report any oil spills they notice to the relevant authorities, without delay. Namport Walvis Bay port captain Lukas Kufuna refused to comment on the issue and said an official statement from the marine resources permanent secretary or Namport CEO Bisey Uirab would shed more light on the incident. OTIS FINCK

Oil spill clean-up begins

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Namibian Sun 2026-03-13

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Oil spill clean-up begins

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Namibian Sun 2026-03-13

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