Chennai Port forms committee to investigate cooking oil leak

Chennai Port has constituted a committee to investigate cooking oil leak from a pipeline on its premises on Thursday. Officials said the oil did not spill into the sea.

The leak was detected by 8.45 p.m. near New Pump House Road in a covered trench that crosses the road.

The 12-inch pipeline belongs to a private company that had received the oil from Ukraine. The leak happened even as a vessel discharged sunflower oil into the company’s storage terminal.

Since the pipeline was laid in the trench, the leak came to light only after oil started flowing on the concrete road, which was cleaned by company employees. The port’s Fire Service personnel, officials and company staff members cordoned off the site.

‘Operations unaffected’

No port operations were affected, an official said, and added that as soon as the leak was found, the pumping of oil from the vessel was stopped.

“The committee will suggest corrective and preventive measures to avoid such incidents,” the official said.

Company sources confirmed the leak and said vehicles frequently riding over the pipeline had caused the damage.

Steps were being taken to repair the pipeline, sources said.

Three years ago, nearly 251 tonnes of oil spilled at Ennore after two ships collided at the port.

Over 2,000 people were deployed for cleaning operations.

The spill affected aquatic life and fishing in the area for a few months.