5 July 2019

...MV Solomon Trader ran aground on a reef in February, spilling about 80 tonnes of heavy fuel oil. The vessel was there to load bauxite from the island's mining operations, which lies on the doorstep of a world heritage site in the island's east.

...While local villagers have been told not to eat fish, it is understood many still are, in the absence of other food sources on the remote island. Test results are yet to come back to determine whether fish stocks have been contaminated with hydrocarbons.

...A Bintan Mining Solomon Islands company spokesman told the Guardian...that loading operations were suspended following the incident.... The company would not comment further.

Sources on the ground said the company had moved loading operations to other parts of the island.

...The bulk carrier's insurer, KP&I, said negotiations over clean-up operation costs would kick off soon but warned compensation claims would take time.

Although matters of liability are yet to be determined, the insurer and ship owner have previously "expressed deep remorse" and characterised the situation as "totally unacceptable".