Kapitan-Teplyukov

The 'Kapitan Teplyukov' has spilled oil in the sea off Busan and fled without taking proper measures. The reefer has been apprehended following an investigation by the Coastguard on Sep 30, 2025. The Busan Regional Maritime Police Agency was investigating a 41-year-old Russian national on suspicion of violating the Marine Environment Management Act. The engineer of the ship was accused of dumping approximately 39 liters of waste oil into the sea near Cheonghak Waterfront Park in Yeongdo-gu, Busan, on the morning of Sep 24. Dovers who discovered the spill reported it to the Coastguard at around 9:57 a.m. The Busan Coast Guard deployed containment vessels and personnel, completing the cleanup operation by 3:35 p.m. Using a drone, the Busan Coast Guard identified the vessel as the suspect based on the spread of the oil film and its movement. After collecting and analyzing oil samples from the spill and those inside the vessel, they were confirmed to be the same component. During the detailed investigation, the Coastguard initially struggled to identify the oil leakage path within the vessel. After conducting a full inspection of the engine room over four days, they discovered that the waste oil had leaked into the sea due to a malfunction caused by the deterioration of an intermediate valve while transferring engine room waste oil to a tank for engine repairs. Based on this, they also obtained a confession from a crew member of the vessel. The Coasthuard was planning to demand compensation from the vessel’s operators for costs such as manpower and oil-absorbent materials used during the containment operation. Report with photo: https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2025/09/30/3N63KC46TBB25I4L6ZFAPTOHFQ/