The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) has mobilised a two-person team to Lamberts Bay after the ultra-bulk carrier, the grounded MV Ultra Galaxy leaked fuel oil on Sunday 28 July 2024 after the structural integrity of the vessel suffered due to severe winter storms and broke into four sections.
In accordance with the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan, all relevant oil spill response teams have been deployed, which include SANCCOB, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE), CapeNature, SAMSA, the salvor and other oil spill response stakeholders. Recovery, containment and clean-up operations are ongoing and surveillance by air and land is underway.
SANCCOB has remained on standby since the vessel ran aground on the 10 July 2024 off the coast of Doring Baai, on the West Coast of South Africa. During this time, an action plan was developed in the event that seabirds or waterbirds became affected by oil pollution. A two-person response team mobilised to set up a temporary stabilisation facility at CapeNature’s Bird Island Nature Reserve, located in Lambert’s Bay. This temporary facility is intended to conduct an initial assessment, triage affected seabirds/waterbirds, and provide basic stabilisation including hydration fluids prior to road transportation to SANCCOB’s Seabird Hospital in Table View. This approach is in line with international best practice and has been part of SANCCOB’s protocols for many years. This approach also maximises the chances of survival; ensuring that captured oiled animals’ condition does not worsen, and that they remain stable before transportation to the hospital.
Sightings of oiled seabirds can be reported to SANCCOB Cape Town on 021 557 6155 or emergency after hours on 078 638 3731.