Focus Taiwan
Date: 2018/03/04
By: Wu Hsin-yun and Elizabeth Hsu
Taipei, March 4 (CNA) Taiwan authorities said Sunday that they had obtained proof of an
Photo courtesy of Environmental Protection Administration
Iranian container vessel illegally discharging oil into waters off the west coast in October 2017 and had imposed a fine of NT$1.5 million (US$51,000) on the owners.
The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) said the evidence was obtained from satellite images that showed an oil slick of 60 kilometers behind the vessel, which was identified as the Iranian container ship the Sarvin.
The images indicated that the vessel had been discharging oil into the water for two to three hours and the accumulated volume was at least 5 metric tons, the EPA said.
It said the images were verified by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), with which Taiwan maintains cooperative links on satellite monitoring of oil pollution in Taiwan’s waters. [FULL STORY]
