Monday, January 8, 2018

China: Burning Oil tanker in danger of exploding'

(Shanghai)  An Iranian oil tanker ablaze off the Chinese coast is at risk of exploding 36 hours after the vessel collided with a grain ship and erupted in flames. The Sanchi carrying 136,000 tonnes of light oil was heading to South Korea when it collided with a Hong Kong-flagged cargo ship, the CF Crystal, carrying 64,000 tonnes of grain.


There is no sign of the crew of 30 Iranians and two Bangladeshis.


The accident which happened on Saturday evening 160 miles (300km) east of Shanghai poses a serious environmental risk for the region. The ship was carrying condensate, an ultralight version of crude oil that converts from a gas to a liquid during extraction. Korean coastguard officials say much of the condensate may have evaporated or burned off in the aftermath of the crash. But any oil that did leak into the ocean will be harder to clean up, since condensate mixes more easily with water compared with traditional crude oil.