A massive ship has been detained following a 1,800-litre fuel spill in the Canary Islands.
The Maritime Authority has locked down the Liberian ship Akhisar, responsible for the spill that occurred during duel transfer operations on Wednesday night. The ship is not allowed to leave the popular Spanish island of Gran Canaria until its owners pay 340,000 euros (£287,000) in damages.
200,000 euros (just under £169,000) will be reserved for the administrative fee that will be determined in an upcoming sanctioning process, while the remaining 140,000 is intended to cover expenses to clean up the spill.
Until this amount is deposited with the General Treasury Deposit Box, the Akhisar will be barred from leaving the Port of Las Palmas.
The Canary Islands Government announced on Sunday that it will end the state of emergency for the oil spill on Sunday at 8pm. The decision comes after significant progress in the clean-up operation along the coastline and a positive assessment from aerial reconnaissance by both regional government aircraft and Maritime Rescue. They reported that there were no visible traces of fuel or oil in open water and a marked reduction of pollution along the shore.
The state of emergency was initially declared following the spill on Wednesday night at the Port of La Luz and Las Palmas. The spill affected several beaches in Telde and Las Palmas, with La Restinga, El Barranquillo, Palos, and San Borondón having been closed to the public all weekend. They remain closed as cleanup operations continue.
By the time the emergency protocol was activated at 1pm, the slick had already reached Bocabarranca beach and was moving southeast, threatening coastal ecosystems. By Friday, the spill measured just under a mile and a half long and 400 metres in width.
During a meeting chaired by Fernando Figuereo, the Director General of Emergencies, the advisory committee for the emergency reviewed the situation based on analyses from various expert agencies, including the Spanish Institute of Oceanography, the CSIC, AEMET, and PLOCAN. They confirmed that coordinated efforts and resources have been effectively deployed to assess and control the spill’s impact.
Despite the end of the emergency status, monitoring of the coast will continue next week, focusing on potential returning currents along the south and southeastern coasts.
Just today, two cubic metres of waste were collected, including 50 kilograms of fuel-soaked rocks. These efforts were concentrated on areas between La Restinga Beach and the mouth of the Barranco Real.
A total of 73 personnel participated in the emergency response, including teams from the Canary Islands Government, CECOES 112, the Port Authority of Las Palmas, and affected municipalities. Emergency helicopters provided aerial support while Maritime Rescue vessels helped with initial containment and control efforts. The fire brigade, operatives from Gesplan and volunteers from Civil Protection units across Gran Canaria also helped on land.