NEPA's Investigations Dismiss Reports Of Oil Spill In Kingston Harbour

November 15, 2014

The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) is reporting that what was earlier reported as major oil spill in the vicinity of Cement Company on investigation has been identified as a major discharge of soot from a motor vessel (ship).

The investigations ruled out that the soot was from a land base source but was instead discharged from a vessel now in port or recently left the port.

As part of the investigations, the officers from NEPA have boarded and checked ships in port but no final determination has been arrived at for the source of the soot.

NEPA wishes to assure the public that the soot will not have any significant impact to public health and marine life.

The soot is approximately one and a half kilometre in length and less than one metre to three meters in width in some areas and is now confined to within 100 metres from the shoreline between Jamaica Flour Mills and the Cement Company.

The Agency continues to monitor the situation with the assistance of the Jamaica Defence Force Coast Guard.

An aerial view of the location of the soot

A view of the soot in the vicinity of the Cement Company