The Deputy Director of Hormozgan Province's Ports and Maritime Organization (PMO) announced the start of field operations to pot contain, and clean up oil pollution on the shores of Qeshm Island with the aim of preventing the spread of pollution and protecting the marine ecosystem on Saturday, and stated, Most of this pollution has been controlled in coordination with local agencies.
Explaining the details of this operation, Esmail Makizadeh, stated: Following the observation of an oil spill on the shores of Qeshm Island, an emergency coordination meeting was held with the participation of local executive bodies, to study and assess the dimensions of the incident and manage the field measures in a centralized and coordinated manner.
He added: In the first step, assessment teams, examined the scope and type of oil pollution by visiting the area and monitoring of the coaslines. After this initial assessment, the oil spill containment operation began with the deployment of oil absorbent pads in the contaminated area, and this process continues simultaneously with monitoring and collecting oil residues until the area is completely cleaned up.
Stating that oil absorbent pads play the role of a physical barrier to control pollution, the deputy maritime officer of the General Administration of Ports and Maritime Affairs of Hormozgan stated: Theseoil absorbent pads were used as physical floating barriers to prevent the spread of the oil spill and limit it to a specific area to provide the necessary conditions for the implementation of the next stages of cleanup.
Makizadeh continued: As the cleaning up operation continuued, cleanup was carried out using absorbent sheets and pads; this equipment is placed directly on the oil spills and absorbs the oil on the surface of the water. Also, given the extent of pollution in some parts of the sea, dispersant (decomposing chemicals) was also sprayed using vessels of the PMO.
Pointing to the importance of protecting the region's fisheries, he noted: In order to protect shrimp and fish farms in cages, in coordination with the Hormozgan Fisheries Directorate, preventive and precautionary measures were taken, and in necessary cases, countermeasures were taken to prevent the spread of contamination to these farms.
He went on to conclude his remarks by saying:: So far, a large part of the contaminated areas has been contained, and continuous monitoring operations, collection of oil residues, and cleaning of the beaches and contaminated areas will continue until the remanents of contamination are completely eliminated and normalcy has returned to the area.
Iranian deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi has blamed the US aggression for the oil slick in the shores of Qeshm Islamd near the Hormuz Strait in the Persian Gulf.
MNA/ISN1405052413732
Your Comment