Just after the Hoegh Osaka cargo ship was dislodged in the UK, another grounded cargo ship is causing concern in the Pacific Ocean. According to the Maritime Executive, the MV Floreana ran aground in the Galapagos Islands, leading the nearby nation of Ecuador to declare an official state of emergency for 180 days in response to environmental damage that might stem from this accident.
Although no specific destruction to the environment has been cited as of yet, the ship's hull is wrecked and its cargo in possible jeopardy. The declaration comes from Ecuador's Minister of the Environment, Lorena Tapia, and the source said that recovery currently has a maximum timeframe of four weeks, well under the time allotted for the announced state of emergency.
The Wall Street Journal features quotes from the governor off the Galapagos, Jorge Torres, who assured the source that while there is currently no threat to the environment, the ship is being monitored in case a dangerous situation should develop. Theoretically, the ship could harm the local wildlife if the aftermath is not contained.
"There is no kind of environmental damage," he said. "The greatest danger has passed. Since the ship ran aground there has not been any fuel spilled." Torres added that "while the ship continues in the bay, there is a risk for the Galapagos ecosystem because the vessel could break and spill hazardous liquids, including oil, chlorine and liquid detergent"
The hull of any large-scale ship is an obvious target for environmental and incidental damage and has to be accounted for in boat insurance coverage. When deciding on the right policy for your vessels, you can find one that applies appropriate insurance measures to the most exposed and risk-prone sections of a cargo ship.