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China plans next steps in 400-ton oil spill clean-up off Qingdao port

Chinese officials were considering siphoning the remaining cargo at sea from a huge tanker that spilled hundreds of tons of oil into the Yellow Sea after it collided with a bulk vessel in thick fog two days ago.
Officials also downgraded the size of the spill from the Liberia-flagged tanker A Symphony to about 400 tons (2,920 barrels) on Thursday, from the original estimate of 500 tons, after further analysis.
An official at the Shandong Maritime Safety Administration told Reuters the level of oil still on the tanker, which had been carrying a 150,000-tonne cargo of bitumen blend, remained “unchanged”. That indicated the spill had been contained, although the official cautioned the information was not definitive.
With the clean-up well underway and ships steering clear of the accident site near the port city of Qingdao, experts were finalizing plans to deal with the A Symphony.
The tanker was at anchor when it collided with shipping vessel Sea Justice on Tuesday. The impact caused a breach in A Symphony’s cargo tanks and ballast tanks.
“The detailed situation is still under assessment and experts are holding a meeting,” an official from the Shandong Maritime Safety Administration told Reuters. “This afternoon (we) may carry out a lighterage operation in the sea.”
Lighterage is the process of removing oil or other hazardous liquids from a compromised vessel while at sea to another vessel. The process to transfer a cargo load of the size aboard the A Symphony would likely take a day or two.
The Maritime Safety Administration also on Thursday revised the location of the accident to 40 nautical miles from Qingdao Port, compared with the original estimated 11 nautical miles southeast of the port.
Ships have been instructed to stay at least 10 nautical miles away from the A Symphony, but the agency said on Thursday the accident had not affected traffic to and from the port.
Hong Kong-based fuel trading company Run Cheng International Resource (HK) Co has said it was the owner of the 150,000-tonne cargo of bitumen blend on board the A Symphony.
Bitumen mix, a blend of heavy crude oil and residue, is used by China’s independent refiners as an alternative refining feedstock as it often incurs a lower import tax than crude oil. It is also used for road surfacing and roofing.
source: Reuters
Image source: Reuters
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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