Dozens of cargo containers are drifting in the Black Sea after a container ship was struck by three drones off Cape Kaliakra and subsequently sank. The cargo includes chemicals, lithium-ion batteries, acids, various goods and food products. What are the potential environmental consequences for the seawater and the Bulgarian coastline?
No pollution has been detected so far, but the authorities continue to monitor the situation and take samples at various locations along the Black Sea coast.
Since the incidents involving vessels in the Black Sea began, the Basin Directorate has been monitoring seawater at the instruction of the Ministry of Environment and Water. The latest samples were taken from Durankulak, Shabla and Kaliakra, as well as from two locations along the southern Black Sea coast.
Yavor Dimitrov, Director of the Basin Directorate: “Since the beginning of this monitoring, we have not detected any exceedances in any of the parameters we are testing, namely heavy metals, physico-chemical quality elements and petroleum products. The exception is the sampling point in Sozopol, where ammonium nitrogen levels are above the permitted limit, but we cannot directly link this to the incidents.”
The main concern relates to the potential leakage of hazardous substances from the containers into the seawater. According to modelling carried out by the Naval Academy in Varna, floating objects are following the main current from north to south, along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast.
Yavor Dimitrov, Director of the Basin Directorate: “We are ready to respond at any time with additional water analyses.”
The containers may not reach the Bulgarian coast. There is also a risk if the containers sink. Seawater is highly corrosive and may, over time, compromise their structural integrity, potentially causing the substances they carry to leak.
Yavor Dimitrov, Director of the Basin Directorate: “Seawater is highly corrosive and, if such a container sinks to the seabed, it is expected to corrode after some time, potentially resulting in leaks into the water. However, we are able to carry out intensive monitoring of seawater along the entire coastline. If necessary, the plan will be updated and new sampling points and parameters will be added.”
The Basin Directorate is also monitoring for possible pollution from the fuel of the sunken vessels. According to Dimitrov, if the fuel is gas oil, the risk of serious pollution is lower because it evaporates relatively quickly.
Yavor Dimitrov, Director of the Basin Directorate: “As far as gas oil is concerned, this is a light marine fuel and it does indeed evaporate quickly, so no serious pollution is expected. Of course, it depends on the quantity. Heavier fractions form a thin film on the water’s surface, but so far we have not detected anything of this kind at any of the sampling points.”
The authorities are also relying on assistance from the Executive Agency for Fisheries and Aquaculture to monitor the situation. The agency has provided a vessel to collect samples at distances of up to one nautical mile from the shore. Monitoring will continue over the coming days.
According to modelling by the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology, under the current weather conditions there is no risk of a potential oil spill reaching the Bulgarian coast.
Yavor Dimitrov, Director of the Basin Directorate: “Our colleagues have carried out modelling for each of the incidents and the spread of any potential spill. The models show that, for now, under the current weather conditions, there is no risk of a potential spill reaching the shore.”
The final results of the latest samples are expected no earlier than Monday. The Basin Directorate has promised to publish them promptly, assuring the public that arrangements and coordination between the institutions are in place to respond to any potential pollution along the Bulgarian coastline.
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