Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS) has announced that Qingdao Port in China has resumed operations following two huge blasts caused by oil leaking from a ruptured pipeline in the Huangdao district last week.
Providing an update on the accident, ISS noted that two vessels are currently alongside and discharging, while two further vessels are at anchorage waiting to discharge.
Following the explosion, most vessels changed their destination port, and as a result, no backlog has occurred.
Marine pollution is currently being treated in the bay and is expected to take some time to clear, while the clean-up process covers 24 cleaning vessels, ten fishing boats and one salvage boat, the company said.
On 22 November, a pipeline owned by China’s largest oil refiner Sinopec ruptured and leaked onto the street for 15 minutes, before it was closed.
The old pipeline was being used to transport crude from Qingdao’s district of Huangdao to two Sinopec refineries.
However, several hours later as the workers attempted to clear the leak, the crude exploded, ripping slabs of pavement and igniting the street.
The pipeline explosion led to 55 deaths, with nine still missing and 136 reported injured, and constitutes one of the country’s worst industrial accidents of the year.
According to Qingdao Environmental Protection Bureau, a mixture of gas and oil from a storm sewer exploded and caught fire over the sea.
It is estimated that more than 3,000m² of sea surface was contaminated, according to the city government.
Inchcape Shipping Services, provider of maritime services provider, has over 300 proprietary offices in 66 countries. Its customer base includes owners and charterers in the oil, cruise, container and bulk commodity sectors as well as naval, government and inter-governmental organisations.
