The Balearic Island’s Port Authority dispatched emergency services yesterday at the port of Palma de Mallorca, Spain, in order to isolate the oil spill caused by the cruise ship Marella Dream operated by Marella Cruises (former Thomson Cruises). The leak which is believed to have come from the ship’s fuel tank started at around 10 a.m. according to reports.Spanish media report that there was a problem in handling the ship’s ballasting system, a tank which is filled with water to aid stability and caused a fuel leak from the tank on deck and into the sea.

At that time all the Port emergency services have been activated and the ship itself has deployed some containment meshes so that the fuel stain would not go further. After two hours of work, most of the fuel has been confined behind the barriers located at the stern of the ship and the resorption work has begun, very laborious tasks despite the fact that the spillage has been limited.

The oil cleaning has continued late into the night and it is still not known when will be completed. The Port Authority will pass on the report of the oil spill received from Marella Dream officers to Spain’s Maritime Authority, which is set to decide if penalties should be handed down for the contamination.