APM Terminals Algeciras declared on Sunday, May 18, at 7:00 PM, the termination of the emergency activated for the containment of a palm oil spill that occurred during the morning at the container terminal facilities at the port of Algeciras. The incident occurred during the unloading of a 20-foot flexi tank container, a system for transporting bulk liquids inside standard containers.
The total amount spilled reached 22,000 liters of palm oil, of which 12,000 were directly recovered from the sea. The rest of the product was managed at the dock using absorption systems with sepiolite, a clay mineral with a high absorption capacity commonly used in this type of emergencies. All the collected waste is stored in spill containment tanks for proper subsequent management.
According to the information provided by APM Terminals Algeciras, the rapid activation of emergency protocols and the coordination among the various teams involved allowed for the agile containment and management of the incident, which helped minimize its impact. Specialized companies participated in the containment and cleaning operations, employing high vacuum trucks and two barges equipped with maritime absorption kits, which limited the spill to the area close to the dock and facilitated its collection.
During the course of the day, the presence and supervision of Environmental agents and representatives from the Junta de Andalucía were accounted for, who conducted the necessary inspections in the affected area. Currently, the terminal is monitoring the surrounding areas for the possibility that any remnants of spill-related material may still exist.
