Americas News
"Significant" Bunker Spill from Navy Vessel
A fuel spill occurred Wednesday during bunkering of a Royal Canadian Navy vessel in Halifax harbour, the Canadian Press reports.
Navy Capt. Angus Topshee called the spill "significant" but could not say how much diesel fuel was spilled.
"We've done a fairly extensive cleanup along the shoreline," he said.
Topshee said the leak was stopped as soon as it was discovered, and about 150 military personnel have been helping with the cleanup operation.
"It was more than a small amount but not all the fuel in the ship," he said.
The warship, HMCS St. John's, was anchored near Dartmouth Cove when the spill occurred.
In 2011, another Navy warship, the MHCS Preserver, leaked more than 14,000 litres of fuel into the harbour, and an investigation into that event concluded that there were several mistakes made, including a faulty repair of a valve assembly, slow reaction by the crew when the leak occurred, inadequate lighting, and a failure to post lookouts in the right position.
The Navy said it changed standards for lighting and personnel, as well as officer training, after the 2011 incident.
