Trinidad and Tobago Arrests Tug Behind Mystery Oil Spill That Damaged Its Coastline After 8 Month Investigation

Trinidad and Tobago officials have successfully arrested the tug Solo Creed. The tug is accused of being responsible for an oil spill that seriously damaged Tobago’s coastline earlier this year.

The arrest, which took place in Angola, was confirmed by Finance Minister Colm Imbert, who spoke on behalf of the Attorney General during a recent Senate session.

The tug, believed to have abandoned the barge Gulfstream, caused major environmental damage to Tobago’s coastlines in February 2024.

The international search for the Solo Creed began immediately after the overturned barge was spotted, leaking large amounts of fuel near Tobago’s coast.

Authorities first thought the barge itself was the vessel in distress, but satellite data helped identify the Gulfstream and the tug responsible for towing it.

Minister Imbert says the arrest proceedings were a joint effort between Trinidad and Tobago’s Ministry of Energy, Coast Guard, and Maritime Division.

The incident began in early February when the tug was seen towing an unidentified object near Tobago on February 4.

The Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard lost radar contact soon after, but an oil slick and the overturned barge Gulfstream were discovered on February 7.

The cleanup effort was difficult. It took until August to safely remove the barge, which was then towed to Trinidad for salvage.

The Solo Creed, which turned off its Automatic Identification System (AIS) after the incident, escaped investigators for several months. It was ultimately found in Angola, where Trinidad and Tobago officials worked with local authorities to arrest the tug.

The vessel, registered in Tanzania and said to have changed ownership several times since its construction in 1976, was formerly known as the Ranger. It was last seen leaving Panama in January, stopping for a short time in Aruba before heading to the Caribbean.

Trinidad & Tobago has filed a preliminary claim for $244 million to pay clean-up and damage costs, while the Finance Ministry has hinted that the amount could be higher. The tug’s value is estimated to be far less than the claim.

Authorities are still working to find out the tug’s current ownership so that they can take legal action against those responsible for the environmental damage.

Trinidad and Tobago has also filed a claim with the International Oil Pollution Compensation (IOPC) Fund to recover other expenses involved in the cleanup.

The government reaffirmed its commitment to holding all persons involved in the tragedy accountable and vowed to pursue all legal measures.

Reference: Guardian, Newsday

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