Another oil tanker vessel splits into two at Tema Port

With barely six months after an oil tanker vessel loaded with 1,200 metric-tons of light crude oil split into two at the Tema Port anchorage, another oil vessel by name MT Anthony from Lagos has also split into two at the Tema Port anchorage.

All ten crew members on board the vessel escaped unhurt. The oil vessel has been operating in the waters of Ghana for 3years.

A visit to the Port revealed that one half of the vessel had been burnt and sources say it was as a result of some residents of Tema New Town who had moved into the drifted half to fight over a pump.

In the process, it was alleged that one of the residents set the vessel in flames.

This was after GPHA's marine department had towed the other half of the vessel from the anchorage to the Tema New Town area to prevent it from sinking.

Attempts to speak to the agent of the vessel proved futile.

On May 24 this year, MT Alice, an oil tanker vessel loaded with 1,200 metric-tons of light crude oil split into two at the Tema Port anchorage.

The Bahamas registered oil tanker called at Tema Port anchorage May 12, 2018 with 13 crew made up of 11 Nigerians and two Ghanaians.

All the 13 crew were rescued by another vessel MT Colled Alice, which was nearby when the incident occurred.

The incident is the first time an oil tanker had split into two halves at any Ghanaian anchorage in either the Tema ot Takoradi Ports.

Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Punamane, Tema Port Security Manager, told the Ghana News Agency that the cause of the vessel split was yet to be unravelled, adding however, that the oil vessel divided into two halves with the stern drifting towards fairway and the harbour entrance of the Tema Port whiles the bowl remained at the same location due to the weight of the anchor.