KKP Deploys Expert Team To Handle Asphaltic Spice Cases In The Nias Sea

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) is moving quickly to deal with cases of raw asphalt spills in the waters of Nias Island.

The KKP has begun to calculate the state losses incurred in conjunction with the handling of clean ups or cleaning of the raw asphalt spill of the MT AASHI ship that pollutes the waters of Nias Island.

A team of expert on coral ecological valuation, coral area & coastal and coastal economics has been brought directly to the location to verify the calculation of damage to coral ecosystems and fish resources, as well as direct losses to coastal and coastal communities due to the raw asphalt spill of the MT AASHI ship.

"We have deployed a team of experts to the location of the pollution, later we will calculate the results of the assessment of the damage to coastal areas, coral reefs, and affected seagrass," said Adin Nurawaluddin, Director General of Marine and Fishery Resources Supervision (PSDKP) in his official statement, Tuesday, March 7.

Adin said that the development of the handling of clean-ups on raw asphalt spills has now been centered on three handling posts, namely in Afulu District, Tugala Oyo District, and Lahewa District.

"The team in the field continues to collaborate, including the Directorate General of Marine Spatial Management which has coordinated the implementation of Clean Up with PT NSI, Lanal Nias, communities, and villagers," he said.

He admitted that his party also continues to coordinate with the law enforcement team of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) to collect water and asphalt samples, as well as collect data and information as follow-up material for handling the pollution of the MT ship's asphalt spill. AASHI.

PT NSI as the owner of the representative ship MT AASHI, which was authorized for the clean-up process, has also installed an oil boom around the location where the MT AASHI ship ran aground.

Oil boom is a type of buoy used to localize or lock and absorb oil spills in the water at once.

"The handling of clean-ups is carried out on land and at sea by involving 20 people per day and 4-7 fishing boats. Alhamdulillah, as of today, March 4, 7.95 tons of asphalt has been successfully transported both from the waters and coast," explained Adin.

Regarding the law enforcement process against acts of pollution carried out by the MT AASHI Ship, the KKP through the Directorate General of PSDKP will immediately follow up after the clean-up priority, as well as the calculation of ecosystem and community losses is declared complete.

Adin added that law enforcement against MT AASHI company owners will be resolved through dispute resolution outside the court in accordance with PERMENKP Number 28 of 2020 concerning dispute resolution of management of coastal areas and small islands based on the Letter of Undertaking of PT NSI, dated February 23, 2023.

"Currently, we prioritize the clean-up of polluted locations so that the distribution of raw asphalt does not expand while the team of experts calculates ecosystem losses," he said.

For your information, the cargo of raw asphalt carried by the MT AASHI ship was 3,595 metric tons ran aground on February 11, 2023.

The ship ran aground due to bad weather and a leak occurred in the hull, causing a spill of raw asphalt cargo, which was originally to be sent from the United Arab Emirates to Padang.

The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries is known to have conducted direct visits to the location and coordinated with the Ministry of Transportation, the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, local governments, the Navy, BASARNAS and other ministries/agencies to act quickly in tackling the pollution.